


A Soldier's Love

by Moiloru



Series: Growing With Hope [3]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, Dangan Ronpa Zero, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Enoshima Junko Being Enoshima Junko, F/M, Falling In Love, Gen, Hope vs. Despair, Hope's Peak Academy, Ikusaba Mukuro-centric, Jealousy, Naegiri - Freeform, Naekusaba - Freeform, One-Sided Relationship, Pre-Canon, Side Story, the tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 34,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28408548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moiloru/pseuds/Moiloru
Summary: A smile. One simple, honest smile. That was all Mukuro Ikusaba needed to find some hope in her life. However, there was that demon threatening to take that hope away from her, and she couldn’t stand it. Oh yeah, and there was also her sister planning on destroying the world, I guess.Side story toThe Academy of Hope.
Relationships: Enoshima Junko & Ikusaba Mukuro, Enoshima Junko & Kirigiri Kyoko, Ikusaba Mukuro & Kirigiri Kyoko, Ikusaba Mukuro & Maizono Sayaka, Ikusaba Mukuro & Naegi Makoto, Ikusaba Mukuro & Yoshida Yuki, Ikusaba Mukuro/Naegi Makoto, Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto
Series: Growing With Hope [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799014
Comments: 79
Kudos: 54





	1. First Looks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NotFanFicNet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotFanFicNet/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the Welcoming Ceremony held in the gym, Mukuro enters her new dorm room and finds Junko there to talk about different things and for the Ultimate Soldier to begin thinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! This is the first chapter of a side story about a character that has become one of my favorites in the last few months: Mukuro Ikusaba. I've wanted to write something about that precious, underrated girl ever since I completed The Academy of Hope, so there it is! I'd like to thank NotFanFicNet and a frequent reader of mine on FFN for suggesting some of the ideas in this side story! I'm always very grateful for all the ideas I receive, and I hope you like this story!
> 
> I'd like to put a little warning before you start reading, though: Junko appears, and if you've seen Despair Arc, you know what kind of relationship Junko and Mukuro have. Therefore, there'll be moments of Junko being Junko to her sister, so if it can potentially trigger you, it might be wise to click away. There's only so much I can change in canon, even when it's one of my favs being insulted by her sister. Blame whoever wrote Despair Arc for what they did to Mukuro's character, but I'll try to do her justice.
> 
> Without further ado, this first chapter takes place right after Chapter One of AOH. Enjoy!

**_Chapter One:_ _First Looks_ **

Mukuro entered the room and sighed. She closed the door behind her, and Junko quickly noticed her.

"Hey, Muku!" she greeted, turning around from putting her clothes into her wardrobe to address her. "Decided you had enough socializing for the day?"

"Yes… I am afraid there isn't anyone who wanted to bond with me, though…" _Not that I'm surprised…_ The short-haired girl thought as she approached her suitcase. "But it doesn't matter. I'm here if you need anything, Junko."

"Good to know." the Ultimate Fashionista simply replied, sounding mostly uninterested, and turned back towards her wardrobe. Mukuro noticed that it was already filled to the brim with clothes - which came to her as no surprise.

This was actually the first day at Hope's Peak Academy for Class 78th, Mukuro's class. The girl's title within the school was Ultimate Soldier, one Mukuro knew she probably deserved but didn't specifically care for. She used to be a member of the military group Fenrir and was known as an elite soldier. In fact, Mukuro had never sustained an injury in battle, and there wasn't a trace of a scar on her body. She also had a tattoo on her right hand, depicting a wolf, the symbol of Fenrir.

And being a soldier was something Mukuro enjoyed quite a lot. It had allowed her to live some eventful years during her childhood, and she was glad to be highly skilled at it. She had never found her match on the battlefield, which amply justified her presence at Hope's Peak. Still, that came with the price of being extremely cold and reserved, out-of-touch with her emotions. A soldier that felt remorse or sadness was a potentially easy target, she'd been taught; and she applied these principles to her everyday life.

Still, there was one person Mukuro Ikusaba loved, and it was her sister Junko. They were twins, though not identical, and her sister had actually enrolled at Hope's Peak as the Ultimate Fashionista and was known to make the covers quite often. However, there was more to Junko Enoshima than just that, and Mukuro knew it better than anyone.

In fact, her sister had an obsession, and it was despair. Junko was a sadist and enjoyed seeing other people suffer. It made her feel a sort of ecstasy Mukuro had never really understood, but she was glad it allowed her sister to feel good. Mukuro was used to being ruthless, so doing her best to help Junko find the best sources of despair there existed didn't bother her. Human lives didn't mean much to the Ultimate Soldier, and this, without exception. Still, once again, this came at a cost, and it was her twin's odd way of showing affection.

The insults, the attempts on her life, the orders… Mukuro was used to them by now. Just knowing her sister could find some of her pleasure in hurting her made Mukuro feel happy enough. Though, for now, Junko had plans to plunge the world in a despair that couldn't be outmatched, and they depended on Hope's Peak - dubbed Academy of Hope by some. And for these plans to come to fruition, Junko needed time. Careful planning was her sister's forte - even if this wasn't apparent at first glance - so Mukuro was free to do what she wanted… for now.

 _I suppose I should begin by unpacking…_ The soldier thought, opening her suitcase and finding inside her sets of clothes as well as the small arsenal of weapons she liked to always keep close. There were apparently some really skilled fighters at Hope's Peak, so something she could fight with was useful. _I don't know if Junko will leave me a bed or if I'll have to sleep on the floor…?_

Mukuro pocketed her favorite knife inside her vest and began to take out her clothes. Since they were two in the same dorm, they were lucky enough to have a room twice as large, but Mukuro doubted she would get half the space. Not that she felt like she needed it, though.

"I've put your e-handbook thingie on the desk, so don't forget to take it, Muku, alright? And you take that bed, got it?" Junko told her, her voice flat and emotionless. She didn't bother with turning around as she continued to unpack. "It would be despair-inducing to see you sleep on the floor, but I gotta control my urges for now, or I'll be suspicious. Consider yourself lucky, my dear sister, puhuhu…"

"Okay, Junko," Mukuro smiled as her sister cackled and went to her wardrobe, opened it, and started filling it with her different changes of clothes. It was quickly done, as she didn't have many clothes, to begin with, and all were simple. After that, she went to the desk Junko had mentioned and collected the electronic device waiting for her. _The Principal said this thing would help us on campus… I need to take care of it._

The Ultimate Soldier began fidgeting with the handbook, finding different apps, like the map or the schedule. A third app, one that interested Mukuro, was the list of students. She opened it.

There were sixteen names on the list, which meant that Junko and Mukuro had fourteen classmates. Mukuro was at the bottom of the list, though that was most likely a coincidence than anything meaningful.

A few names ringed bells, such as _Sakura Ogami_ , _Aoi Asahina_ , _Chihiro Fujisaki_ , _Mondo Owada_ , and a few others. She remembered them because they'd been the only ones to come introduce themselves to her and Junko. The others had gone to their rooms before saying hello, or probably didn't care enough in the first place. It didn't matter to Mukuro, and the soldier doubted it mattered to her sister, either.

As she scrolled through the list, however, she realized there was one name she had overlooked. It was a boy named Makoto Naegi, whom the black-haired girl actually remembered. He'd been the last one to come to introduce himself to the twins and explained he was the Ultimate Lucky Student.

 _Hm, Makoto… It seemed like he was afraid of me…_ Mukuro sighed, remembering how the boy had tried to put distance between himself and her as soon as he learned she was a soldier. _I suppose that's fair, though… My Ultimate talent means that I've killed many people, and I know I am cold and unexpressive…_

"Hey, who're you lookin' at, Muku?" the blonde asked with her sweetest voice as she read the name on the profile Mukuro was currently on. "Makoto Naegi, huh… What do you think of him, Muku?"

"H-Huh?" the question caught the short-haired girl by surprise. "What do you mean, Junko?"

"Oh, don't be dumb! What do you think of him? Y'know, personality, appearance, all that shit. I'm sure he's your type of boy!" Junko said, almost cheering. "He's cute, isn't he?"

 _H-How do I answer that…?_ "I-I don't know, Junko… I've only talked to him for a few minutes, and he quickly left after I told him I was the Ultimate Soldier, so…"

"Ah, so you don't know what to think of him yet, do you?" the fashionista asked as she went to sit on her bed. Seeing Mukuro nod in confirmation, she added, "Well, I do. Not my fault you can't do anything right, even reading a guy so plain and boring…"

"R-Right…" _Analyzing things and people… that's Junko's hidden talent…_

"Well, the guy is as average as you'll find here, that's for sure. I'll admit he has me curious with his lucky talent, but other than that, he's just one more pawn I'll be playing with when the time is right. He seemed kind, though he seems blinded by a form of naïveté that makes him… endearing, I guess. Still, I'm pretty sure there's more to his averageness than meets the eye, but I'll keep that mystery for later."

"A-Ah, I see…" _Junko must be right… Makoto did seem extremely average at first sight… But he's pretty nice-looking, and he's probably very kind…_ "T-Thank you for telling me this, Junko."

"Well, you can't do jackshit without me, so I have to help you, don't I?" she rhetorically asked, her form of 'tough love' making Mukuro shiver in a strange form of pleasure. "You're kinda useless when you're not on your cherished battlefield, so I gotta show you the ropes. If you need help with the boys, just ask me, by the way! It'd be so despairing to see you get a boy just to kill them afterward…!"

Junko convulsed at the thought, something Mukuro was used to seeing.

"I-I'm not looking for a boy, Junko…" the soldier told her, in case she would care - which was unlikely. "B-But thank you…" _Junko wants to help me… She's too kind to me…_

The Ultimate Fashionista merely shrugged and returned to her suitcases, taking out handfuls of make-up and other styling products. Meanwhile, Mukuro went to sit on the second bed with her small arsenal of weapons, deciding she'd spend the rest of the day sharpening her knives and reloading her firearms…

* * *

Junko had already fallen asleep, but Mukuro was still up, around 11 PM, silently doing push-ups and sit-ups until she was drenched in sweat. She liked training at night since it helped her catch some sleep when she didn't feel tired. Besides, she couldn't train at all during the day, so she needed to catch up.

Once she was done with her fifth series of a hundred push-ups - a bit under the average of what she could do on a good day - Mukuro decided to call it a day, or rather, a night. Making sure to be silent, not to disturb her sister's peaceful slumber - even if waking her up might cause her a small dose of despair, Mukuro didn't want to risk it - she headed to take a shower and get off the sweat before going to sleep herself.

The Ultimate Soldier grabbed a nightgown for after and went under the shower before turning it on. Unfortunately, she quickly realized that no water was running.

 _Shit, the water stops running during the night?!_ She thought, her eyes widening in realization. She gave out a long and exhausted sigh. _I guess I'll sleep sweaty tonight… It would probably give Junko some pleasure, seeing me so filthy, at least._

She stepped out of the shower and put on her nightgown anyway before going to bed. Fighting on the battlefield meant that she was used to showerless days, but that didn't mean it was pleasant.

 _*sigh* Why am I always so unlucky…? Junko was born a genius, but I am just a worthless piece of trash…_ The black-haired girl told herself, unable to close her eyes and with many things on her mind, even if she was tired. _I thought that… that while Junko prepares her plans for despair I could maybe spend some time as a normal girl within the school, but… it seems no one is interested in me. I'm sure those who introduced themselves to Junko and I did it for her… why would they care about me, after all?_

Mukuro let her muscles relax, a little sore from the training and not being able to shower afterward. Still, she didn't allow herself the pleasure of falling asleep yet.

_I am ugly, stinky, cold, heartless, stupid, and I do not possess even a percent of Junko's greatness and prowess… I understand why people don't find me interesting. But it's okay._

She smiled a bit, turning to see her sister sleeping soundly.

_I wonder what Junko is dreaming about…? Maybe she sees the world in flames after she plunged it to despair? I hope Junko is always happy… She deserves it, and I'll do my best to make sure she's never sad. She's the only one who loves me, and I need to show her that I care for her._

_No one will ever make me feel loved as Junko does… I don't deserve it. I don't even deserve her._

Finally closing her eyes and falling asleep in a matter of seconds, Mukuro began dreaming of what the world could be after her sister had destroyed it. A world full of despair which her sister would work hard to make a reality when the time was right. The Ultimate Soldier knew her place was in her sister's world of despair. From the second she was born the twin of Junko Enoshima, there was no place for hope in Mukuro's life.

There had not been yet, at least.

_**To be continued…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was unfortunately not too eventful, but I needed it to introduce some details and reintroduce the basics of Mukuro's character. I promise, the next chapters will be more interesting, with you know who making appearances. Still, I hope you liked it, and please leave a review!
> 
> I know I've already said it on another side story, but have a happy New Year in advance, everyone!


	2. Unneeded Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week after the first day at Hope's Peak Academy, Mukuro faces a situation she didn't think was possible thanks to a certain Luckster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! Here's the second chapter to this story featuring Mukuro. This chapter takes place a week after the events of Chapter One, and between Chapters Two and Three of AOH. I hope you like it!

**_Chapter Two:_ _Unneeded Apologies_ **

Mukuro had to admit the food from the cafeteria was nothing like she had ever eaten before in her life. It made sense, after all: the battlefield was no restaurant, so eating something that was actually edible for once was quite the change. Even having an opportunity to eat breakfast was something new for her, but she wasn't complaining. One of her classmates, Sayaka, had suggested they all gathered every morning to have breakfast as a class, but Mukuro wasn't comfortable enough with eating with everyone, so she instead sat alone, waiting for Junko to perhaps keep her company - unlikely, but not impossible either.

The Ultimate Soldier subconsciously smiled - a rare occurrence - as she brought more of the food to her mouth, almost moaning in pleasure as her tastebuds were flooded by the sweetness of her breakfast.

_Junko told me there was an Ultimate Cook at Hope's Peak… This is definitely some Ultimate Breakfast, so maybe there's a link?_ The black-haired girl wondered, slowly eating while waiting for her sister to potentially show up.

Mukuro made an effort to come to breakfast every morning - she was always up, anyway - if only so she'd be able to show her classmates she didn't mind their presence. With some luck, she thought maybe they would enjoy hers, but that was a long shot - she thought. She ate alone, though - or with the Ultimate Fashionista - so she couldn't even know if her classmates acknowledged her presence in the room.

_It makes me such a hypocrite… Why would I want to spend any amount of time with them when I want to help Junko with her plans…?_ Every time she looked at one of her classmates, Mukuro just saw another target she'll have to take down one day, nothing more. _Even… Even if I had friends among them… I would need to destroy our friendships to help Junko…_

Mukuro sighed in exasperation, once again being unhappy - pretty much a constant in her life, save Junko's presence.

_It's been a week, and I've barely talked to anyone besides Junko…_ In fact, Sayaka had come to her once to suggest the breakfasts, on the second day. Hina had too, in order to invite her to a video game competition her sister had co-planned. She had declined. _They're not interested in me, that's for sure. Even Aoi, I'm sure, invited me because Junko planned the thing with her… They only see in me a cold-blooded soldier capable of taking their lives at any moment… Not that they're wro-_

"Mukuro?"

"H-Huh?" _Shit, I'm getting rusty if I can't sense people approaching!_ She cursed herself, thinking for sure that if her abilities as a soldier suddenly left her, then she wouldn't be of any use to Junko - something she dreaded more than anything.

Surprised while she was deep in thought, the soldier turned to her left to see one of her classmates standing next to her table.

Brown ahoge, hazel eyes, small frame; no doubt, it could only be one of her classmates in particular.

_Makoto._ "A-Ah… G-Good morning, Makoto." the greeting was awkward, but to her defense, she wasn't used to it.

"Hi, Mukuro." the Ultimate Lucky Student addressed her, visibly not as uncomfortable as he was on the first day around her. "I uh…" he fidgeted with the e-handbook he was holding, slightly nervous, still. "I wanted to apologize to you."

Mukuro's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she frowned in confusion. "A-Apologize…?" she echoed unsurely. _What does he want to apologize for…?_ "I-I'm afraid I don't understand…"

In reality, the Ultimate Soldier was afraid. She was pretty sure the boy had been sitting with the others at the big table earlier, so maybe he had lost a bet and needed to go and talk to her - the lonely, friendless girl? Perhaps he was going to make her believe he needed to apologize for something and then mock her? Maybe they had asked him to go and tell her to leave because they didn't like-

"I wanted to apologize for my conduct when we first met." Makoto told her, his voice carrying some shame, before he explained further, "I pretty much ran away when you told me you were a soldier, and I didn't try to get to know you better, and that was rude of me. I sincerely apologize, Mukuro."

He bowed his head apologetically, which was enough for the soldier to realize that, perhaps, she wasn't being mocked by her peers. The girl gaped, unable to fathom why her classmate would come and apologize to her for any reason… especially not for _this_ reason.

"O-Oh, um…" speechless, Mukuro tried to find something to say. "I-It's okay, Makoto, don't worry… I see why you would have this impression of me…" _Besides, you weren't wrong: I really am a heartless monster who kills people without remorse… Why would you even bother with an apology to me, of all people…?_ She wondered, torn between being grateful to the boy and feeling guilty he felt the need to apologize. "B-But as I said… I don't want to hurt you, Makoto."

That was a half-lie, and she knew it. She didn't _want_ to hurt the boy because she had no reason to… yet. If Junko came in and told her, "Muku, kill him." she would do so in a heartbeat out of loyalty for her sister. On the other hand, she wouldn't dream of hurting someone who didn't get in the way of Junko's plans - and considering they had not begun yet, Mukuro didn't find it necessary to threaten or hurt anyone, Makoto included.

"T-Thanks, Mukuro," he replied, his body visibly relaxing. Still, there seemed to be something else on his mind, and the soldier hesitated to bring it up. "U-Um… I was also wondering…"

Once again, there was some unease in his voice - though not the same type as when he'd run away on the first day. There, her classmate seemed… worried, in a way.

"Y-You always come to breakfast and eat alone, or with Junko… I was wondering if you wanted to come and eat with the others, maybe?" Makoto hesitantly asked. "Especially since Junko isn't here yet."

Mukuro's grey eyes met Makoto's hazel ones for a brief moment, and the soldier realized that, maybe, one of her classmates was actually _worrying_ about her.

_W-Why would he be worried about me…?_ She couldn't help but wonder, unable to figure out the why. "N-No, I'm fine, don't worry. I-I'll wait for Junko to arrive… but thank you." the girl said as genuinely as possible. _Thank you? Have I… Have I ever said thank you to someone other than Junko before?_

"Ah, I see. Well, I won't force you, then." the short brown-haired boy commented, not insisting. "I'll see you in class, I guess?"

"Y-Yes, right…" _Why can't I stop stuttering?!_

"Alright. Later, Mukuro!" with one last bow, Makoto left and returned to the main table in the middle of the room and sat next to Sayaka and Leon.

Mukuro was left quite confused. Completely lost, even. But there was also anger, and it was directed at herself.

_Why can't I be a normal girl for once and accept when he offers me to eat with them?!_ She wondered, growing frustrated. _As long as Junko's plans haven't started, I am free to do what I want with the others, so why?! Why do I have to be so cold and asocial?!_

Her hand curled into a fist, and she didn't feel hungry anymore. Even the promise of her tastebuds enjoying the food as much as they had before didn't seem appealing. Mukuro was plagued with questions, and even more so now that Makoto had come and apologized to her.

_Maybe they would accept me! M-Maybe… they would make me happier…? M-Maybe… until Junko begins with her plans, they could become… m-my frie-_

"Hey, Muku!"

"H-Huh?!" once again caught by complete surprise, Mukuro's head shot up, and she noticed Junko standing there, with her typical grin on her face. "O-Oh, Junko…" _I need to focus… If I start to lose concentration over my classmates, I'll fail Junko once she needs me!_ "Good morning. How are you?"

"Oh, fine! Great, even! Amazing!" the Ultimate Fashionista listed, and her smile widened with the gradation. She pulled out the chair in front of the soldier and sat. "How about you, Muku?"

"O-Oh, um…" _How am I doing?_ "I-I'm fi-"

"Kidding! I don't give a shit!" the blonde exclaimed, cutting Mukuro. "Hey, as long as _I_ am fine, then it's all that matters, right?"

The Ultimate Soldier's heart broke, just a bit. The one she blamed, however, was herself. _Why did I even allow myself to think that how I am doing matters…? Junko's right: as long as she's alright, then it's all I want…_ In the corner of her eye, Mukuro caught sight of Makoto, laughing with the Ultimate Pop Sensation and the Ultimate Baseball Star. She sighed discreetly. _Junko is all that matters. Nothing else._

Mukuro gave a simple nod of agreement, though she knew her sister didn't need it to know she was right. After all, Junko was basically always right, and she certainly didn't need Mukuro's input, except maybe when it came to combat - though the fashionista could _definitely_ defend herself better than the average Joe could.

"What did he wanna tell you, by the way?" Junko asked as she began eating her sister's breakfast - without her permission, that went without saying. Seeing Mukuro hesitate for a second, she added, "The luck boy, I mean."

"Ah, um… Makoto wanted to apologize to me for our first meeting on the first day…" Mukuro explained, recalling her exchange from just a moment ago. There were still questions unanswered, whether she wanted it or not. "He told me he thought the way he acted was rude… but it's okay."

To her surprise, Junko seemed genuinely interested. She didn't know why, but her interaction with Makoto had caught her interest.

"I see. Well, it's only been a week, but the guy seems to like everybody, so I'm not too surprised. Heck, if he apologized to you of all people, it means he really meant it, puhuhu!"

"Yeah… I-I mean…" _Junko's right…_ The soldier gave a hesitant nod. "I-I am a heartless soldier, so I don't think he needed to apologize to me… To be honest… I'm even a little bit surprised the others didn't react the way he did on the first day…"

Junko chuckled, swallowing more of her sister's breakfast. "Well, the guy's hopelessly average, so meeting someone with the title _'Ultimate Soldier'_ must have been one hell of a scare for him!"

_Yes, that's true… But I don't want to hurt Makoto! I kill people on my missions on the battlefield or when Junko asks me to, not otherwise!_ Mukuro thought - frustrated that her title might be the reason her classmates were uncomfortable with her. _I-If I scare people, then… I-I'll always be a pariah in the class!_

It was rare for the Ultimate Fashionista - and more particularly, for the Ultimate Analytical Prowess - to be caught by surprise by anything. But seeing a tear roll down Mukuro's cheek was _not_ something she had expected _at all_.

"W-Woah, that's a first!" Junko exclaimed, almost loudly enough to attract attention from the others. "So Muku actually has feelings… I guess there's always room for me to learn new things, puhuhuhu…"

The Ultimate Soldier barely noticed her sister begin to cackle her signature laugh, too lost crying to even care about the despair she was showing Junko. _H-How can I be so worthless?! E-Even Junko could find better than me if she wanted to!_

"… puhuhuhuhu…" eventually, Junko's laughter died down, and she took a couple of breaths to calm herself completely. "Ah, Muku, you never cease to surprise me…" she told the soldier, making her look up and meet the blonde's despair-filled eyes. "Y'know, the day I accidentally stab you to death is gonna fill me with such despair…"

Perhaps she'd been crying and wasn't in her best state of mind, but Mukuro still caught the knife that was sent flying her way with ease. She'd be able to put another mark on the calendar as a day Junko tried to assassinate her. So far, her reflexes had never betrayed her - at least not when the price for a mistake was her life.

"Good, I see you're not completely useless yet." the pigtailed girl said matter-of-factly before placing a crown on her head and assuming her regal persona. "Perhaps you'll remain a valuable asset to us for a little while longer, peasant!"

_I-I'm valuable… t-to Junko…?_ Mukuro slowly processed her sister's words, her sad expression slowly turning into a small and grateful smile. "T-Thank you, Junko…" _T-Thank you so much…_

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. If you wanna thank anyone, thank Makoto," she said before continuing, looking in the direction of the rest of the class with a sick grin. "He brought this on and gave me some extremely worthy information…"

For once, Mukuro ignored whatever her sister was talking about and instead focused her eyes on the Ultimate Lucky Student smiling carefreely at the center table, clueless he was the subject of another discussion.

" _I pretty much ran away when you told me you were a soldier, and I didn't try to get to know you better, and that was rude of me. I sincerely apologize, Mukuro."_

_Y-You didn't need to apologize t-to me, but maybe… J-Just maybe… I'm not as worthless as I thought…?_

With just that little bit of hope in her heart, the Ultimate Soldier went back to her breakfast (or at least, whatever her sister had left for her!), thinking that, maybe, there was more to her in her classmates' eyes than a bloodthirsty killer…

_**To be continued…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so Makoto finally appears! It was a brief interaction, but there's a start to everything, right? I hope you liked this second chapter, and if you did, please leave a comment; it really motivates me! I don't know if some of you are already in 2021, but I hope you all have a pleasant (and safe, please) New Year's Eve, or had, depending on where you live. Have a nice day, everyone!


	3. The Luckster's Smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After class, Makoto offers Mukuro to hang out a bit, an occasion for the soldier to feel new emotions...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! Here's the third chapter to this side story, taking place before Chapter Four of AOH. I hope you like it!

** _Chapter Three:_ _The Luckster's Smile_ **

"Alright, you're dismissed for the afternoon, class!" Yuki informed them as she stood up. "Have a nice day, and you're welcome to come tomorrow morning. We'll be working more on how to handle your professional career post-graduation, so I suggest you come!"

Mukuro stood up and headed for the exit, as did the other students in attendance, her sister, Hifumi, Taka, Chihiro, Makoto, and Mondo.

"Junko, can we talk for a minute?" the teacher asked as the Ultimate Soldier reached the blonde's table, waiting for her before heading out together.

She noticed the fashionista sigh frustratingly (and discreetly), but she still gave a quick nod before complying. "I'll catch up to you later, Muku, got it?" Junko told her twin before adding, "And do something useful for once, okay? I don't know… try to make a friend, maybe?"

 _Try to make a friend?_ She echoed Junko's words in her mind, caught by surprise. "H-Hm, o-okay…" Mukuro nodded, unsure of what to make of the task she had received. "S-See you later, Junko."

Since the Ultimate Fashionista didn't reply, the soldier took that as her cue to finally head out, leaving her sister to discuss whatever they needed with their homeroom teacher.

 _Why did Junko ask me to go and make a friend…?_ The Ultimate Soldier couldn't help but wonder as she got in the hallway and began to head back for the dorms. _I-I'm not sure anyone wants to be my friend… or at least, they never really showed it…_

In fact, it had been a little less than three months since the first day for Class 78th, and Mukuro couldn't say she had made any friends yet. She continued to spend most of her time either with her sister or training, most often in her talent development room. The only students (other than Junko) the girl had talked to more than once were Sayaka, Taka, Hina, and Sakura.

 _I don't think people are ignoring me… I might be the one avoiding social interaction with them…_ She thought, recalling a moment the Ultimate Martial Artist had suggested they trained together to test her strength. Mukuro had declined, pretexting being busy. _Maybe… I should appear more open. That must have been what Junko meant by that…_

Mukuro wasn't sure why her sister would want her to befriend anyone, but she didn't question it. Most often, Junko's motives were really _complex_ , too much for her to understand them. Either because the Ultimate Fashionista was a genius or because she was really dumb. When Junko wanted to feel some despair, she told her twin it was both - and Mukuro honestly couldn't disagree.

_Whatever Junko's reasons were, I can try… N-Now, who do I want to bond wi-_

"Hm, Mukuro?"

The soldier turned around in a flash after hearing her name being called from behind. She understood who was talking to her when she needed to look down to meet their eyes.

Of course, there was also _him_. Mukuro had talked more than once to a couple of her classmates, but there was _him_. Every morning at breakfast, without fail (except for when he didn't show up, probably due to oversleeping, Mukuro thought - he seemed the type), he greeted her very politely, even when she was all alone at her table, waiting for Junko.

That person, of course, was Makoto Naegi. It would have seemed unlikely to the soldier at first glance, but the Ultimate Lucky Student was the one who was _clearly_ the most comfortable in her presence. Junko had told her he was extremely sociable and tried to befriend everyone, and Mukuro liked to believe she was no exception.

"O-Oh, Makoto… What is it?" she asked, trying not to sound awkward. Deep down, though, she knew this would be a challenge. _That's the reason I need to get better at these things… *sigh*_

"A-Ah, um, nothing important, I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out a bit? A stroll around campus, maybe? If you have time to, of course."

His words reached her ears like rays of hope - even if the twins were normally more into its counterpart, despair. She took a second to register what the lucky student had just said before stuttering a confused, "C-Come again?" _Did I hear that right…?_

Makoto frowned just as confusingly, repeating, "I was wondering if you wanted to walk a bit on campus?" seeing her baffled, the so-called Luckster added, "M-Mukuro…? Is something wrong?"

 _Y-You bet there's something wrong!_ She told herself, barely with enough restraint not to actually word her thoughts. Her next thoughts, however, Mukuro spoke, "M-Makoto, you… you wanna hang out… with me?"

"Yeah, of course!" he replied, seemingly joyed at the idea. "We've barely interacted, so I wanna get to know you better!"

 _But you're the one who interacted with me the most?!_ The soldier realized, but once again, kept that to herself. Instead, her thoughts focused on whether or not she should accept. _I-I mean… Makoto is really kind, but… H-He'll waste his time with me!_

…

…

" _And do something useful for once, okay? I don't know… try to make a friend, maybe?"_

…

…

Junko's words echoed in her mind, guiding her choice. Mukuro had often relied on her twin to make decisions she'd need to follow, but this time, this was a choice she would make on her own. Her sister had undirectly guided her there, but it was a choice she was making for herself.

 _I-If it can make me useful to Junko, then…_ "Y-Yes, I'd love that, Makoto."

The words were out of her mouth, and Mukuro knew it was too late to take them back. Things were, she _didn't want_ to take them back. A rare smile appeared on her lips.

"Cool! Do you have somewhere you'd like to go in particular?" the boy asked, looking in the soldier's grey eyes without the initial awkwardness of the first day. "A place on campus you like?"

"O-Oh, um… N-No, not really…" the truth was, Mukuro had never taken the time to explore the campus, at least not more than what Junko had asked of her. Needless to say, she had not wandered around aimlessly. "W-We can go wherever you want…" _When will that fucking stuttering go away?!_

Hiding her frustration, the soldier saw Makoto nod before saying, "Okay, sure." and begin walking, with Mukuro following, at his pace.

* * *

It was a cloudy day, and there was a bit of wind, making Mukuro's short hair and Makoto's ahoge flow a bit. Still, it wasn't bad enough that they couldn't walk through the campus. The Ultimate Soldier was tense, not used to walking casually with anyone besides her sister. From what she could observe, her classmate wasn't, however, and he even whistled a bit as they took their stroll.

"So, what do you do during your free time, Mukuro?" Makoto asked, breaking a somewhat - she had to admit - comfortable silence.

 _T-That's not an easy question…_ Indeed, 'Helping my sister with her plans to plunge the world to despair' wasn't a possible answer, even if it was the truth. "W-Well, I mostly train."

It was a short answer, and Mukuro was glad Makoto was apparently the clueless type so that he couldn't notice her nervousness. Still, it was maybe a little _too_ short since there was a moment of silence afterward. Mukuro guessed he expected her to add something, but she didn't have anything else to say.

"Ah, I see. Well, that's something I don't do, haha." the boy joked and giggled, making the soldier wonder if she also needed to laugh. Mukuro never laughed, and her sister _always_ did, so it was difficult to find her bearings in this situation. As a happy medium, she chose to smile a bit. Makoto spoke again, "I'm not strong physically, and I have no skill in pretty much all the sports there exists, so…" he smiled like a dummy. "I'm not surprised it's your thing, though. You look so strong; it's impressive!"

The soldier tried to fight the blush that was coming to her cheeks, even if they were tainted a cute pink color, as she mumbled, "T-Thank you…" _D-Did he really compliment me…? H-He's too kind…_ Coughing once to regain her composure, Mukuro added, "It's necessary for me to train so I can be ready whenever I am on the battlefield. If I'm not adequately prepared… I can lose my life at any second." _W-Wait, why am I telling him that?! He probably doesn't give a sh-_

"Really? T-That seems dangerous! I-I mean… it makes sense since you're a soldier and all; I'm sure dangerous things are part of your everyday life, but still…" the Ultimate Lucky Student's expression showed worry.

"Y-You care about that…?" the short-haired student asked, unsurely. "A-About my talent and all, I mean?"

"Of course, I do! You're my friend, and I care about the things my friends love!" Makoto said, his eyes showing just how genuine he was. "But I don't want any of my friends to get hurt, and even if I don't know much about your field, I'm pretty sure it can be dangerous."

_H-Has Makoto just called me his friend…? W-What the…?_

They continued walking casually, Mukuro trying her best to hide just how surprised she was. No one had ever called her a friend before. She had had companions on the field, sure, but never real, actual friends. Just hearing the word come out of the Luckster's mouth so naturally made the soldier's heart skip a beat. She began smiling like an idiot, overjoyed at the idea that she had a friend.

"Thank you, Makoto," she said with much more confidence than before, feeling emboldened now. "It's good to know there's someone who cares about me and what I do." _And if Makoto considers me a friend, then it means I've accomplished what Junko wanted me to do! That means I'll be useful to her!_ That made her almost as happy as actually befriending Makoto.

It was now the boy's turn to be embarrassed, as he scratched the back of his head and gave off an easygoing smile. "Y-You're welcome…"

Mukuro had to admit, the lucky student looked really cute when he was blushing a bit. She didn't know much about beauty - even with her twin sister being considered one of the prettiest young women in Japan, if not in the world -, but right there and then, Makoto was cute. Really cute, even.

 _His hair looks soft… and his cheeks, too…_ The mere thought made the girl's face flush, but she managed to keep that hidden from her new - and right now, only - friend.

"Hm, I've admittedly been a little curious ever since I met you and Junko on the first day…" Makoto spoke up at one point as they walked next to each other. "But how come you two look so different? I mean, especially for twins, it's a little strange, no? She's blonde, and you're black-haired; you have freckles, and she doesn't; you have grey eyes, and Junko's are blue…"

"Ah, well, we're just not identical twins," Mukuro replied swiftly and without hesitation, much more comfortable now than she was before. "We were born at approximately the same time, but that's the only thing making us twins. And Junko was actually born a redhead, you know?" she said, and realized she shouldn't have a few seconds after. _Shit, why did I tell him that?! Hopefully, he'll forget…_

Makoto nodded in understanding and didn't seem to give Mukuro's slip-up too much thought. "I see. Well…" he paused for a moment. "A-All the girls in the class are very pretty, and you two are part of that, i-identical twins or not…"

The Ultimate Soldier's eyes widened in nothing short of shock, and her cheeks turned red as a tomato. Upon noticing this, Makoto himself blushed a bit, feeling embarrassed by his confession to all the girls in his class. Mukuro avoided his eyes for a few moments, trying to recompose herself before saying anything. Her thoughts were very much disorganized - which made sense, considering she rarely got compliments.

 _Did M-Makoto just say I am pretty?! M-Me?! B-But I'm NOT pretty?! I'm ugly, fat, and stinky! Junko is beautiful, but I'm not!_ The many times Junko had told her sister that she was unpleasant to look at contradicted Makoto's words, so now, Mukuro was a little lost in who to believe. _Junko is a fashionista, so she knows a lot about beauty… B-But Makoto seemed so genuine when he said that… And he's right when he says there are some beautiful girls in our class, Junko first and foremost…_

Unaware of his classmate's musings about beauty, Makoto coughed in his hand, somewhat awkwardly, before resuming their chat. "W-Well, moving on," it was clear he was still embarrassed, but Mukuro appreciated he changed the subject, saving _her_ from her own embarrassment. "What exactly do you do as a soldier? I-I mean, I get that you probably fight on battlefields and all, but like your everyday life? W-Without anything gory, please…?"

That last request was asked in a low voice, almost a mutter. It made the soldier smile. Still, the short-haired girl's reason to smile right now - not the first, which was unusual in and of itself - was that there was someone interested in her Ultimate talent. And they were her only friend, no less.

 _H-He's too kind… What I do isn't interesting, yet he's still curious…_ She thought, feeling a pleasant feeling in her stomach as she did. _Maybe he doesn't really care, but he's considerate enough of me to ask… You're too sweet to a useless girl like me, Makoto…_

Making sure to leave him in the dark about how much she appreciated his curiosity, Mukuro began explaining, "Well, before I came here, I was part of a military group called Fenrir." she said, not uncomfortable at all anymore. She showed him her hand with the tattoo. "This tattoo depicts the symbol of Fenrir, which is a wolf. The other members of the group and I got it when we joined. It's something dear to me since it's pretty much the last thing I have to remember my time on the field."

Mukuro frowned a bit, making Makoto cock his head, his eyes betraying some worry. Upon seeing this, the soldier made sure to keep her past memories for herself later and chose to smile again before continuing her story.

"Basically, I receive orders to go and fight against other soldiers from different groups. There are no hard feelings between soldiers, even if we know what we have to do." the girl said, and she could sense Makoto understood the implications of what she was telling him. "Other than that, it's a lot of physical preparation and weaponry training. The cooperation between fellow soldiers is also crucial. We're sort of companions when we fight together, and we need to be in sync."

"Ah, so they're your friends, right? It must have been tough, having to leave like that, no?" the boy asked, his voice displaying genuine curiousness. To his surprise, though, Mukuro shook her head.

"Not so much. We aren't allowed to befriend each other, and no one wants to, actually." the soldier said, her tone back to its usual neutrality. "Since we know there's a chance any given battle could be our last, we prefer not to make friends. Besides, our superiors believe that notions like friendship and emotion make you less efficient and potentially vulnerable on the battlefield."

The Ultimate Lucky Student frowned, and it didn't take long for Mukuro to understand why. _That must seem so unreal to him… I guess this isn't something you can really grasp if you have never experienced it… Good for him… Useless as I am, I'm lucky to still be alive to this day…_ However, the girl's heart warmed when he didn't object to what she had said - showing that even if he disagreed, he wasn't going to make a scene about it.

Still, Mukuro felt kinda bad knowing he might worry about that. _I don't deserve anyone worrying about me, and I *won't* let anyone worry about me! Especially not Makoto, who's been only kind to me!_

"You don't have to look so worried, Makoto," she assured him, a small smile gracing her lips and with a light pink color on her cheeks. "It's something I've adapted myself to, and I don't mind being lonely. Junko's presence in my life is more than I had any right to ask for, anywa-"

"No, that's wrong!"

"H-Huh?"

"That's not true, Mukuro!" Makoto exclaimed, coming to a stop and standing in front of her. "I don't know why you think so low of yourself, but you're worth much more than that! You know, before coming here, I was also a loner who didn't have many friends, but I've decided I would change and I'm so much happier now! I know this will sound like a complete cliché, but for me, graduating from Hope's Peak wouldn't be a treasure. The treasure will be the friends I'll make along the way! You should think the same, Mukuro! This isn't an experience we'll get to live twice, so let's make the best of it, all as friends!"

The passion in the Luckster's voice was not something the Ultimate Soldier had ever heard. To Mukuro, it was almost as if she'd been shot right in the heart. Usually, this would mean trouble for her, as a soldier, but not in this case. Right there and then, she'd been shot by a ray of hope. It couldn't even begin to outmatch Junko's almost endless despair, but it was there, and it made Mukuro feel something she had never felt before, even if she couldn't put a word on it.

"M-Makoto…" she muttered, without really thinking. _T-This feeling within me just now… W-Was that… hope? Am I-I even allowed to hope…? W-Would Junko permit me to have these feelings…?_

"It's okay, Mukuro; it may take time," the hazel-eyed boy told her, reassuringly now. "I've been there before, so I know what it is. I know it's difficult to approach others, but I believe in you, and I know you can do it. I don't know if it's much, but you can know you have my friendship, okay?"

"O-Okay…" the soldier replied, although still a little overwhelmed by her own emotions if she was being honest. "O-Okay, Makoto…"

"Cool! What do you say we head back to the dorms now?" Makoto suggested. "We've walked quite a bit, and I wouldn't want you to be late if you need to be with Junko or something."

"A-Ah, yes, sure…" _What are these emotions I'm feeling? I know I haven't felt many emotions in my life, but… what am I feeling in my stomach…? A-And why is my heartbeat faster…?_

As the Ultimate Lucky Student began to walk back to their dormitories, Mukuro followed, even if her mind was elsewhere. There were mysteries, and the Ultimate Soldier began to realize that perhaps there was, indeed, more to Makoto Naegi than just a plain, boring, naïve, and average boy.

* * *

"Thank you for t-taking some of your time to go on a walk with me, M-Makoto…" Mukuro weakly said as they both stood in front of the twins' door.

"You're welcome, Mukuro! I always enjoy spending time with my friends!" he told her, still as cheery and happy as he always seemed to be. Mukuro was starting to grow very fond of how happy he looked. "Besides, I got to learn more about you! And after I was insensitive with you on the first day, it's the least I could do! Whenever you want to hang out again, feel free to ask!"

The soldier blushed a bit and fiddled with a strand of her short black hair, slightly nervous with how kind her new and only friend was being to her.

 _What are you doing, Mukuro?! Say yes, goddammit!_ "S-Sure, I'd love that. I-I'll keep it in mind…"

There was a second of silence, and before he even replied, something caught Mukuro's eyes. Makoto's lips turned upwards as he smiled, an honest-to-goodness smile that reached his ears, and the girl felt her heart skip not one, but multiple beats, awestruck.

Something in the way he smiled made Mukuro relax. She couldn't help but stare at him, with his hopeful features. But whenever she tried to divert her gaze, it always came back to that broad, kind, considerate, friendly, hope-filled smiled.

The years of Mukuro Ikusaba's still young life flashed before her eyes, from her childhood with her twin to her years on the battlefield, to her recent return to Japan and enrollment at Hope's Peak Academy… But never in her life had anyone ever smiled at her, her sister's crazy and despair-inducing sick grin notwithstanding. Never had anyone ever cared about her in such a way. Never had anyone ever called her a friend. Never had anyone ever shown her _hope_ before.

And never in her life had Mukuro ever felt this way.

"Cool! Well, I won't take any more of your time. See ya', Mukuro!"

Before she could say anything, the Luckster was at the other end of the hall, with the soldier standing there, speechless. She knew she should have called out to him, told him that she had never experienced what he was making her feel with that smile of his… But she couldn't. All she could do was stare into the distance, trying to see that smile again.

That smile that had plunged her into the unknown, but an unknown she was actually looking forward to discovering.

Mukuro's reverie was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder, making her turn around in surprise.

"J-Junko!" she exclaimed at the sight of her sister with a smirk on her lips. "S-Sorry, I didn't hear you…"

The Ultimate Fashionista's despairing grin widened even more as she stared into her twin's grey eyes with the blue orbs that partly made Junko Enoshima the pretty girl the whole world knew.

But Mukuro knew better. These blue eyes were beautiful… as much as they could be deceitful.

When the blonde spoke, Mukuro remembered something.

"Puhuhuhu… The despair I'll feel when I'll take the boy you _love_ away from you…!"

She remembered that her sister was never wrong.

_**To be continued…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, how I love being restrained in the way I write the characters' feelings by canon... Well, I guess that's what makes writing fun. I hope you liked this chapter! Please leave a review if you did; it always helps a lot!
> 
> I also hope you had a great New Year's Eve and New Year's Day all around the world. You have my best wishes of health, success, and happiness! Have a nice day, everyone, and stay safe!


	4. Other Voices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Mukuro was called to the classroom on an afternoon like all the others, she couldn't have known she would come to an important realization...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! Here's the fourth chapter of this side story, taking place during Chapter Seven of The Academy of Hope. Enjoy!

** _Chapter Four:_ _Other Voices_ **

Class 78th had been notified that class was canceled this afternoon, but Mukuro was still heading towards the classroom. The reason for that was quite simple: she'd been summoned there by a message on her e-handbook earlier in the morning. After consulting with Junko on whether or not she should go and getting her twin's approval, the soldier decided she'd go and see what it was all about, especially since the message she had received left her confused.

" _To Mukuro Ikusaba,_

_Good morning, Mukuro. I send you this message to request that you please meet me in the usual classroom this afternoon at 3 as if you came to class. There is something I wish to talk with you about. Of course, if you have anything planned, it may wait. Just tell me, and I can reschedule at a later date. It is somewhat an important matter, although it is not something that you need to worry about (or at least, I don't think so)._

_Thank you in advance,  
_ _Ms. Yuki Yoshida."_

It had been pretty unexpected, but since her sister didn't need her for anything for the day, she was free to go. Makoto had not asked her to hang out today, either, which left her with free time, anyway. The Ultimate Lucky Student would come and suggest they spent some time together about once a week, and these were always moments Mukuro awaited very much.

Junko always teased and suggested Mukuro loved Makoto. The soldier wasn't sure that was the case - mostly because she'd never been in love before - but she certainly felt very strongly for the boy. It happened that Mukuro dreamed of him, and any mention of Makoto made her blush cutely. There were moments she thought back to his hopeful smile, and it would allow her to complete one more push-up when she believed it wasn't possible. He was an inspiration for her - an inspiration of hope when her sister was an inspiration of despair.

But right there and then, Mukuro had to admit she was curious. Being called in such a way by their homeroom teacher wasn't usual, and she couldn't even try to guess what Yuki wanted to tell her.

_Well, I guess the best way to know is to see for myself…_ The short-haired girl thought as she stood in front of the half-open door and saw the former Ultimate Lucky Student at her desk, phone in hand. _Here goes nothing…_

*knock* *knock*

"A-Ah!" visibly startled by the sudden knocking, the young woman almost dropped her phone, only to catch it at the last second. "C-Close call… C-Come in!"

Mukuro did as she was told and entered. "Good afternoon, ma'am." the soldier said and gave a respectful and polite bow.

"G-Good afternoon, Mukuro…" Yuki replied, holding on to her phone extra tightly and taking a few deep breaths. "Geez, that took me by surprise… A-Anyway," she grew serious again. "I'm glad you came. You can go and have a seat if you want."

_What does Ms. Yoshida wanna tell me?_ Mukuro wondered for the umpteenth as she nodded and went to sit just in front of the teacher's desk and saw Yuki put her phone in her handbag. _Besides the incident when Chihiro revealed her secret to the others… I don't think she'd have any reasons to have this chat with me…_

Indeed, all hell had broken loose on [the day the Ultimate Programmer had revealed her secret to the entire class](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26814220/chapters/66339959), with Mondo and Junko getting into an argument that escalated when Mukuro almost got into a fight with Byakuya when the latter insulted the fashionista. The five subsequential hours of detention had not been the most eventful of her life, but the soldier had apologized to both her teacher and Chihiro, and things had gone back to normal quickly.

"Now, I assume you wonder why I called you here, right?" Yuki asked her, leaving Mukuro to nod in confirmation. "Well, that's pretty simple, honestly. You see, for students that don't come too frequently to my homeroom classes, I sometimes organize chats like this just so we can address anything you'd like to tell me or the other way around. I think it's fair to say you haven't come to my class too often, so I thought we could have one of these chats. Especially, I'd like us to discuss your relationship with your classmates, Mukuro."

The soldier wanted to sigh but didn't out of respect. _I should have guessed this would be about that…_ She thought as she took a deep breath. When she was about to start speaking, however, Yuki cut her.

"I know you, Mukuro, believe it or not. I exactly know what you're about to say, and I know exactly how wrong it is. You might think you're not wanted in the class and that it is the reason you don't need to interact with the others, but that is wrong." the teacher said, making the soldier's eyes widen.

_T-That's… That's just what I was going to say!_ Stunned by the former Ultimate Lucky Student's exceptional observance that could maybe rival her sister's, Mukuro was rendered speechless.

"Seems like I was right," Yuki commented, frowning - visibly disliking the fact she'd gotten it right on the money. "I admittedly don't know everything about you, Mukuro, though - at least, not as much as with some of the others -, but I've seen enough of your character to deduce that you've been this way for a long time. I don't know how long exactly, but with my experience dealing with students, I would guess since your childhood, correct?"

"P-Pretty much…" the soldier replied, making the brown-haired woman nod in understanding. The short-haired student then explained, "I-I am not useful in this class, ma'am, that is the truth… I am unfriendly, cold, asocial, and unintelligent. Only Makoto has bothered with interacting with me, and I still don't know why…" _Though that doesn't mean I'm not immensely grateful… He's my only friend, and he's one I treasure…_

Yuki tapped her pen on her desk, then sighed. "You are also not very self-confident, is that right?" before the soldier could reply, she cut her, "Rhetorical question. What I mean by that is that the way you've described yourself is wrong, Mukuro, and you need to understand this. The Headmaster had me read through your student file, and I refuse to believe a skilled soldier like you wouldn't be intelligent. If you've never been wounded in battle, it means you are capable of quick-thinking and making important decisions when it matters most. That makes you intelligent."

"B-But…"

"Let me finish, please," Yuki cut her again, her voice affirmative, and the Ultimate Soldier nodded in compliance. "Perhaps you appear as cold, and this makes you seem unfriendly and asocial, but that is something quickly changed, trust me. Take Kyoko, for example; her personality is pretty akin to yours, and she's been making some progress, in parts thanks to Makoto. I'm sure you can do the same, also partly thanks to him."

As always, Mukuro blushed at the mention of the Luckster's name, making the teacher smile knowingly. Still, she didn't tease her and instead carried on.

"What you need to do, Mukuro, is be more confident in yourself, alright? Take it one step at a time and let things flow. Trust me," her smile turned kind as she looked at Mukuro right in the eyes. "it'll be worth it. Maybe you won't be able to change overnight, or it might even take weeks or months, but it'll be worth the effort. You're a great and useful person, Mukuro, okay? Makoto realized this, and I'm sure he's trying his best to show it to you, as well as anyone who might not see it yet."

_I-I am… useful…?_ Yuki's words reminded her of how kind and considerate Makoto could be to her, making her feel that pleasant feeling in her stomach again. _After everything I did… I can still be a great person…?_ She gave a reluctant nod, not yet entirely convinced, but even more than that, deeply in thought.

*knock* *knock*

"Oh? I wasn't waiting for anyone besides you…"

The two women turned towards the door as it knocked. Mukuro and Yuki quickly noticed the figure of one of their classmates and students, respectively, Sayaka Maizono, at the door.

Upon noticing the Ultimate Soldier and the homeroom teacher alone, the Ultimate Pop Sensation apologized, "O-Oh, sorry… I didn't know this afternoon's class was canceled…"

"It's okay, Sayaka, you can come in," Yuki told her, standing up from her chair. "Mukuro and I were having a chat, but the more, the merrier, as they say. Still, I sent a message to everyone saying class was canceled this afternoon. Make sure to pay better attention to your e-handbook in the future, alright, Sayaka?"

This was more of a friendly piece of advice than strict scolding, but it seemed the teacher was understood.

"A-Ah, sorry… I'll be more careful from now on." the pop idol bowed in apology before her broad smile returned to her lips, as she greeted, "Hello, Mukuro! How are you?"

Mukuro's train of thought was interrupted as she focused on her classmate and replied with a shy, "G-Good afternoon, Sayaka… I'm f-fine, thank you." _W-Why does she even care…?_ The soldier wondered - and realized it wasn't the first time she was asking herself this question. _I know I wouldn't care about myself if I were in her shoes, so why…?_

"Great! Hope I'm not interrupting anything important, though… I thought there was class, so…" Sayaka said, both to Yuki and her reserved classmate. "But if I can be of any help, let me know!"

"Thank you, Sayaka; the thought is appreciated." the teacher told her and smiled in response as she went to sit back at her desk. "And there might be something you can do to help, actually. Mukuro, would it be okay if Sayaka was part of the chat we were having? I think her opinion should prove to you that what I said is the truth."

"O-Oh, um…" _Do I want Sayaka to know about that…? I-I mean… it'll be no surprise to her that I'm not a sociable person… A-And would she even care…?_ "I-I'm not sure-"

"Yeah, I wanna know!" the pop idol cut her with excitement. "And whatever it was about, I'd love to help one of my classmates! Besides… now that I'm here, I might as well help the best I can, right?"

She flashed another one of the angelic smiles that had won her the hearts of many boys around Japan, this time mostly directed towards Mukuro. The soldier caught a glimpse of a wink from Sayaka, too, making her blush slightly.

_S-Sayaka is really kind, too…_ The soldier thought, feeling slightly more reassured with how considerate the famous pop star was being. _I-I guess it couldn't hurt to have her try to help me… even if she wouldn't be much help, most likely…_ "O-Okay…"

Yuki smiled at the scene as Sayaka pulled out a chair and sat next to her classmate. At first, Mukuro tensed at the sudden proximity from someone other than Makoto or Junko, but the next moments made her feel calmer. She blamed her soldier instincts for being so careful of everyone around her - both literally and figuratively, in particular when there was no need to be so alert.

"So, Mukuro and I were talking about some of the issues she's been dealing with. In particular, interacting with you all." Yuki explained, and Sayaka nodded in understanding, seemingly not so surprised. "I've been trying to prove to her that she's very much welcome in this class, but you're not convinced, are you, Ms. Ikusaba?" she grinned at her student but didn't get much of a reaction. "No, but more seriously, no one here harbors any ill-will against you, Mukuro. Not I, and not one of your classmates, either. At worst, I'd say Byakuya doesn't like you much, but I stopped expecting otherwise from him…"

The young teacher sighed, and Sayaka sweatdropped. Mukuro didn't like Byakuya at all - partly because of what had happened when he had insulted Junko. She was reassured to know she wasn't the only one, even if that was a given.

"Yeah, Ms. Yoshida is right, Mukuro!" Sayaka concurred, turning to face her classmate. "I know I haven't approached you much since the beginning of the year because I wasn't sure you'd be comfortable with that, but I've never thought of you in a bad way! I mean, it'd be awful of me to judge you when we didn't get to interact much!"

"S-Sayaka…"

"Honestly, if you wanna hang out a bit someday, then it's fine by me!" the pop idol added, her genuine smile making Mukuro's features soften. "I know Makoto's been the one to hang out with you the most, but if you feel like you'd prefer to spend time with a girl or something once, then I'm good with that!"

Beyond shocked, the Ultimate Soldier gaped before she uttered a weak, "Y-You would actually spend time with… me…?"

"Yeah, you bet I would!" Sayaka exclaimed, thus balancing Mukuro's low voice. "I usually hang out more with Makoto and Leon, but I'd love to hang out with you! And if it can help you with your self-confidence issues, then it's even better!"

_S-Sayaka…_ Mukuro saw a bit of Makoto in the pop idol. Of course, they were very similar but not the same person, and the black-haired girl didn't feel that strange and unknown feeling she felt for the Ultimate Lucky Student, but she was still immensely grateful. "T-Thank you… I-I'm glad."

"You're welcome! And… you know, I actually understand how you feel, Mukuro. There was a time I started to believe I wasn't worth anything and that I didn't deserve Ultimate classmates." the pop idol's expression grew serious, something which both her classmate and her teacher took note of. "I had hit my lowest point ever, thinking that even if I ended it all, no one would care."

Yuki gasped in surprise, while Mukuro's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Y-You what?!" the teacher exclaimed, and it didn't take long for Mukuro to understand why. "S-Sayaka, what the hell?! Why is it the first time I'm hearing about this?!"

"Relax, Ms. Yoshida, I'm alright, and I'm better than ever." the reassuring smile on her lips as she said that proved how true this was, making Yuki sigh in relief. "But the reason you never knew… Well, it basically was because I never felt the need to tell anyone. Someone helped me, and they've pretty much saved me and made me forget about these difficult times. That person, of course, well… it was Makoto."

_M-Makoto…_ The Luckster's face flashed through Mukuro's mind, and while she did her best to fight the blush that was coming to her cheeks, she knew she was doing a terrible job. _H-He's saved… Sayaka…?_

It didn't seem to surprise Yuki, however, as she nodded. Well, after the soldier gave it some more thought, it didn't surprise her either. _After all… He's the one who gave me what little self-confidence I have… It's not surprising he could help Sayaka when she needed it… He's really a wonderful person… unlike me… *sigh*_

"M-Makoto… W-Why is he so kind to everyone…?" Mukuro wondered, which was a question she usually kept to herself but that she felt like sharing - because even after spending time with him, she still didn't know for sure. "E-Especially to me…?"

"Because that's in his nature, Mukuro," Yuki replied first, without any hesitation. "There's no need to go deeper than that, really. He was born a good kid, and he brings the best out of everyone, making the people around him better as a result. That's who he is, and if he was kind to you, it must be because he realized that you were struggling. You know… he himself is plagued by self-confidence issues, so helping others allows him to feel better about himself. It's a win-win situation, in the end. By helping others, he understands that he isn't less important than the others because of his different Ultimate talent."

"Yeah, definitely." Sayaka agreed with a nod, turning to Mukuro. "And I'm so glad he's my friend, you couldn't even imagine. Each time Leon and I hang out with him, I realize I really am lucky to have met people like him. And he makes me realize how lucky I am to be classmates with people like _you_ , Mukuro."

"S-Sayaka…" overwhelmed by the unusual kindness she was receiving, Mukuro tried to keep her stoic expression, but this was a fruitless attempt. "T-Thank you…" _Shit, I'm gonna cry!_ "A-And thank you, too, Ms. Yoshida *sob*…"

Yuki merely smiled contently at the scene, while the pop idol placed her hand on the soldier's, making her feel all the sweetness in her heart.

"You're welcome, Mukuro. You know, I've seen the bottomless pit of despair myself, so I'll do my best to make sure none of my friends ever have to go through that, I promise." Sayaka said, her eyes radiating trust and gentleness. "I don't know what Makoto means to you, and I know I'll never be him, but I'll try my best to make you feel loved, Mukuro, because you definitely deserve it. I probably won't do as good as he does, but I want you to experience the joy of having great friends, as I did with my bandmates, Leon and Makoto, okay?"

"O-Okay… O-Okay, Sayaka, I trust you." _There probably isn't anyone who can save me from despair now that Junko's plans have begun, but… m-maybe… I can feel some more hope before this is all said and done… forgive me for that, J-Junko… a-and if there's someone other than M-Makoto who's willing to trust me… I-I should trust them too, hoping I won't have to b-betray them too soon…_

Unaware of her new friend's secret thoughts, the three women nonetheless shared a complicit smile, happy that they had managed to restore the Ultimate Soldier's self-esteem and self-confidence, even if only a little bit.

_S-Sayaka, Ms. Yoshida… thank you for your help… I-I'll never feel as much hope with you as I do with Makoto, but I feel like I have people who care for me, other than him and Junko… and that means a lot to me…_

_**To be continued…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter. Ikuzono is a ship I like quite a lot, so even if this was only a platonic interaction, I had to include some in this side story. Anyway, please leave a comment: it really helps with motivation! Have a nice day, everyone!


	5. Hating Lavender's Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Mukuro waits for her talent exam to take place, she realizes that even with Makoto's teachings, there's still quite a lot of hate within her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! Here's the fifth chapter of this side story, taking place during Chapter Eight of AOH. For those who have actually read AOH, this chapter contains an already existent scene, so don't be surprised if it seems familiar. Consider this chapter an expansion of sorts. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

** _Chapter Five:_ _Hating Lavender's Love_ **

"There's something else, too! Soon afterward, there was that odd girl… I think her name was Ryoko?" Makoto paused, thinking a bit. "Well, anyway, this girl and I were in a room with one of the Student Council bodyguards, and they actually tried to kill me!" the boy stopped again, expecting a strong reaction from Mukuro. "You'll never guess who saved me."

The Ultimate Soldier felt so _freaking_ proud at that moment. Perhaps her twin's plans had begun, and maybe it was the first step towards total despair, but Mukuro was proud of her own achievements: she had saved Makoto Naegi's life, and she had never felt happier in her life. Nor had she ever felt so relieved.

_Maybe he'll never know I'm the one who saved him, but just knowing I did it makes me feel slightly better about helping Junko…_ The girl thought, keeping her emotions in check - something she would never have believed would be needed for her. That was how much interacting with Makoto Naegi changed you.

Still, Mukuro was perfectly aware that she couldn't tell him that. In the Ultimate Lucky Student's mind… the Ultimate Soldier wasn't on the campus when his life was almost ended abruptly by one of the Madarai brothers. The truth was, she definitely was (and she had actually left a fair number of dead bodies in her wake - her day job), but Makoto couldn't know that. Not that he'd understand, anyway.

So, she simply replied with something the Luckster and her (not so) secret crush - because yes, she had finally stopped being in denial - would comprehend, "My sister?"

"Yeah, it was Jun- wait… Wait, wait, wait…! How did you know?!"

Mukuro realized a little late that her answer might not have been the most natural she could have offered… Basically, you knew when you had slipped up when even _Makoto_ of all people realized something was wrong.

_S-Shit, that wasn't clever, Mukuro!_ The soldier thought but remained calm. _O-Okay, he's probably somewhat suspicious that something's up, but I can salvage this!_

"I-Instinct." _… Yeah, maybe not…_ "I know Junko better than anyone, and that sounds like her."

The lucky student shrugged, visibly not a hundred percent convinced but enough for him to trust his friend and classmate's words. "Well, if you say so…"

Inside, Mukuro sighed in relief. _C-Close call…_

"Anyway, your sister saved my life! I'm so, so grateful to her!" the boy continued, his enthusiasm something the soldier was more used to seeing - rather than suspicion. "I didn't know she had skills like that, though! I swear, if I didn't know better, I would have thought it was you, saving me there!"

_U-Uh…_ Admittedly a little lost, Mukuro tried to make sense of all that. _Should I be thankful? I guess I should… He praised me, thinking he was praising Junko… thinking she did something praiseworthy I could have done… That's confusing…_ "Y-Yeah?"

She blushed cutely, making Makoto smile.

"W-Well, I'm glad you weren't hurt…" the soldier added - and this was something she genuinely thought. Every time she thought back to that moment, Mukuro was glad her fighting skills had not betrayed her - or she probably wouldn't have forgiven herself. Perhaps it would have given Junko a good dose of despair, but this is not one Mukuro wanted her twin to get. Not right now, at least. _At least the Madarais won't cause trouble to anyone anymore…_

"Thanks." the boy told her as they continued walking before his cheeks flushed a little in embarrassment. "I'm kinda glad for that too…"

The soldier recalled the panic in her crush's eyes when the deceased bodyguard had been about to crush his skull. Mukuro'd been swift to act - temporarily breaking character - and if her sister had been herself at that time, she probably wouldn't have liked knowing her twin was taking so many risks while impersonating her.

_It's the first time I've fought to protect someone… And I've never fallen in love with someone before… That's why I couldn't let him kill Makoto… I absolutely couldn't let him!_

But in the end, seeing cute, smiling, and hopeful Makoto like that comforted her that she had made the right choice…

* * *

"Don't move an inch closer, Ikusaba."

The Ultimate Detective's voice stopped Mukuro in her tracks, though she was far from scared. The soldier had to admit she was in part impressed by Kyoko's ability to sense her presence when she'd been trained to be quite discreet during battles.

Still, there was a coldness in the lavender-haired girl's voice that made Mukuro realize it was wiser to stay careful. The two had a history of not liking each other, and it showed. The Ultimate Soldier was just glad Makoto wasn't there anymore: she didn't want to fight one of his closest friends in front of him.

"I was not going to hurt you, Kyoko," the black-haired girl said, her voice monotonous. "You perhaps think of me as nothing less than a killing machine incapable of feeling anything, but that doesn't mean it's the truth." _Or at least, it's not true anymore…_ Mukuro thought, recalling her countless exchanges with Makoto that had changed her so much. "I'm sure Makoto feels differently, for example."

Traces of a smug smile appeared on Mukuro's lips when she saw Kyoko clench her fist in frustration, though she made sure to keep that discreet, not trying to make the situation even worse. If possible, she would have liked to avoid a fight.

"And what do you know of what I feel about you, Mukuro?" the other girl asked as she turned around, and her voice carried a great deal of despisal. "I don't recall ever telling you."

_I didn't need you to tell me, mind you…_ "No, you didn't, but it's obvious you have a deep hatred for me." Mukuro shot her back, not missing a beat. _Even if there's one person who's free to hate me, and it's you._ "But know that I don't hate you. I don't like you either, but I certainly don't hate you." _Yet._ "I've learned to stop feeling hate for anyone now. Makoto made me realize that hate was pointless. I'm learning how to trust now, and I'd like it if you trusted me more and didn't think I am trying to kill you every time I am in a less than five feet radius of you." _People like you are making me question whether or not Makoto was right to teach me that hate was useless, Kirigiri…_ The soldier kept these thoughts to herself.

Kyoko hmphed in contempt, rhetorically asking her, "Hmph, do you think you have the moral high ground with me, Ultimate Soldier?" the reference to her talent left Mukuro quite indifferent, but Kyoko still carried on. "You might have changed, but you are still unworthy of my trust. The only person I trust is Makoto, and don't you dare ever try to compare yourself to him."

Mukuro shook her head. "I don't," she replied clearly and with insistence. "I know my background puts a lot of blood on my hands, and I know that I have no right to compare myself to someone as kind and compassionate as Makoto. But if you don't want to trust me," the soldier's expression was perfectly neutral, showing that she didn't want conflict - but wouldn't back down either. "that is entirely fine. Just know that I won't try to kill you."

_I shouldn't make promises I probably won't hold… And I've technically already tried, with these falling desks, but that was for the sake of Junko's plans…_ Mukuro thought, thinking back to the moment in question. _Right now, I don't feel the need to try and kill her, but will that remain the case…?_

"You could always try." Kyoko taunted, staring at her classmate with a confident look in her purple eyes. "You might be the Ultimate Soldier, but don't think I'd go down that easily."

_She wants conflict… I don't even know why she feels such animosity against me, but she should be careful…_ Mukuro's grey eyes grew a little darker. "You probably wouldn't." _… but that doesn't mean I'd let you live if it came to that…_

The discussion ended on that note, and the two girls and classmates each stood against one wall of the hallway, Mukuro waiting for her exam, and she guessed Kyoko was waiting for Makoto to come back. The Ultimate Soldier dearly hoped the Ultimate Lucky Student would pass - even if she knew how futile hoping for a second year at Hope's Peak was. If Junko's plans went smoothly, hoping for another year of just _being alive_ was unrealistic for the students of Class 78th.

But right now, Mukuro's musings weren't even focused on the Luckster, but rather on Kyoko, the other girl in the class known to be crushing hard on him. Neither of them had ever confirmed it, but Junko kept telling everyone (which actually embarrassed Mukuro every time, even if she denied it), and the others kept saying that the love in Kyoko's eyes when she looked at Makoto was evident.

Perhaps it was a self-defense mechanism, but the Ultimate Soldier had never seen it yet. Mukuro knew there was the possibility of Kyoko loving Makoto, and maybe even Makoto loving Kyoko back, but she didn't want to think about it too much. Concentrating on Junko's plans was already way more than enough for now - even if, in the corner of her eye, she kept a mental note about the Ultimate Detective.

_Training some more to make sure I don't lose to her might be wise… Underestimating my opponents would be a fatal mistake, especially an Ultimate…_ If anything, Mukuro preferred carefulness over recklessness. She knew she was the Ultimate Soldier, but even she had her limits when it came to fighting.

"Hey, Mukuro?"

The solder was snapped out of her thoughts by the lavender-haired girl calling out to her again. She let out a sigh, not wanting to deal with Kyoko anymore. Still, she knew it was better to get whatever she wanted to tell her over with as soon as possible.

"Yes?" Mukuro simply said, slightly turning to face the detective.

Kyoko's tone was actually less cold than before when she next spoke. "I think you should know that I'm aware of your attraction to Makoto." the mention of the lucky student's name made Mukuro listen a lot closer. "You didn't really do a great job at hiding it."

The soldier blushed a bit, then cursed herself for it. She knew it was taunting, and she hated herself for falling for it. "A-Ah, u-um…" she stammered, realizing once again that denying the truth was much harder than it seemed. _G-Great… Just great…_

"No need to feel embarrassed; I'm not going to mock you or anything," for some reason, Mukuro didn't really believe that… "But there's something you ought to know, too."

_I don't like this…_ The short-haired girl had a foreboding, and not a good one. The determination in Kyoko's voice was something she wasn't used to - at least, not used against her. "W-What is it?" she reluctantly questioned, her body stiffening as if something was about to go down.

The detective's purple eyes met Mukuro's grey, and a smirk appeared on her lips. Finally, she spoke, smugly and confidently, "Makoto's mine, so don't even think about it."

"M-Makoto's… yours?" the soldier echoed her classmate's words with unease, unsure of what to make of them. Mukuro frowned, but that frown turned into an angry expression when she noticed that Kyoko was still smirking at her victoriously. "You shouldn't be so confident, _Kirigiri_."

Her name was spoken with a mix of frustration and wrath; the soldier had had enough of Kyoko's smug expression. Suddenly, the smirk dropped, and Mukuro realized her opponent had understood crystal clear that she wouldn't back down forever.

Seeing this opportunity, Mukuro decided to put on some more pressure, and the Ultimate Detective flinched with how intense her voice had gotten. "You don't know me, and you don't know what I'm going through, girl. You'll never understand what Makoto brought into my life, so don't you dare look down on my feelings."

The terrifying glare she shot Kyoko could even rival the detective's Kirigiri stare, which the soldier actually found herself on the receiving end of.

"Because you think you know me, _swine_?" the lavender-haired Ultimate told her very calmly, passive-aggressive way, but Mukuro didn't waver. "There's a reason I'm so confident, Ikusaba. I know Makoto, and I know that, even in his worst nightmares, he wouldn't even like you. The sole reason he wasted his time ever speaking to you was that he's too kind for his own good. Don't even get into your head that he could like you."

"Shut the fuck up, Kirigiri!" Mukuro exclaimed furiously, getting a hold of the knife in her vest pocket. "I know I don't fucking deserve Makoto, but I've always respected him, goddamnit! Meanwhile, you've fucked with his feelings when he only wanted to be your friend, and you think you can lecture me?! You know what, go fuck yourself and see if I care!"

"What are you going to do? Attack me with that knife?" the detective asked, gradually getting into a fighting stance. "I have doubts Makoto would like that, Mukuro."

_Don't snap… Don't snap… Don't snap…_ The soldier repeated to herself, like a mantra, as she took out the combat knife and held it firmly. "Don't tempt me."

"Hmph. That does not change anything." Kyoko told her seriously, her composed expression returning to her face. "You act tough, but inside you're scared, Mukuro. You have no friends besides Makoto, so you know that if he leaves you behind, you'll be all alone. You're stuck while I moved on, and that's why you're an absolute failure."

"Ha, like you're one to talk!" the soldier mocked, actually chuckling. "You're nothing without Makoto, so don't act almighty. Have some dignity, at least, and admit that you'll never be worth him."

Kyoko's eyes darkened a bit more, her customary Kirigiri stare trying to pierce through the soldier. "I don't have lessons to take from you, killer."

"Hey, now, what's going on here?"

"Huh?"

Before Mukuro could react to Kyoko's last provocation, the two rivaling Ultimates turned around towards the entry to the hallway and noticed the Ultimate Fashionista casually walking towards them. One of them stiffened even more, while the other allowed herself to relax.

"H-Hey Junko…" the soldier muttered, her voice torn between her fury at the detective and her shyness when addressing her twin.

Junko narrowed her eyes at the scene before she began staring at Kyoko, ignoring Mukuro. The Ultimate Detective's violet orbs matched the blonde's blue.

"What do you want?" the Kirigiri detective asked her. "Dealing with only one was annoying enough, so if you don't have anything to tell me, get lost, Junko."

_I didn't expect Junko to come here…_ Mukuro thought. _She told me to go to my exam, so… did something come up with her plans?_

"Oh, c'mon now! I haven't said anything yet, and you're already a pain in the ass, Kiri!" the fashionista told her, pouting. "Nah, I was just here to get the piece of trash for something, don't worry about it."

Seeing neither of the two girls moved for a couple of seconds, Junko smirked, making Mukuro guess what was coming next.

"Ah, gotta be more precise, I guess… I meant Muku," she added, her smile turning wicked and her eyes staring right through Kyoko. "You'd qualify, but I don't like you."

The Ultimate Detective chuckled, retorting, "The feeling is mutual, trust me. And rest assured that I think as much of the two of you as you do me, Enoshima. Although," her eyes met Mukuro's again, threatening and full of rage. "Contrary to her, I don't need to be your submissive little lapdog to exist, Junko."

The two twins gasped, and Mukuro could tell that it was as genuine coming from Junko as it had, coming from her. The sheer fact that this had caught her sister by surprise was enough to prove just how unexpected this was.

"W-What…" suddenly, something snapped in Mukuro, and the soldier felt a part of her letting go of whatever self-control she still had. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

Kyoko's eyes widened in shock as Mukuro lunged at her at light speed, knife out, and with violence on her mind… before being swiftly stopped by Junko's arm getting in the way, holding her in place firmly.

"Now, now, chill, Muku; no need to get your panties in a twist!" the blonde told her; meanwhile, Kyoko just looked at the scene with unimpressed eyes. "I'm supposed to be the crazy one of the two twins, not you!"

"Let me go, Junko!" the soldier shouted with uncharacteristic anger, trying to break free of her sister's restraining grip. _Fuck, I'm the Ultimate Soldier; I should be able to break free, even if it's Junko!_ She thought, her frustration growing. "Argh, let me go!"

The Ultimate Detective crossed her arms and closed her eyes as Mukuro's movements gradually became slower and slower until her sister had entirely restrained her.

"Might I get some peace and quiet now?" Kyoko asked with a sigh. "I'm waiting for Makoto, and I'd rather not have a mess or Ikusaba's dead body when he comes back."

"Oh, waiting for the luck boy, are you?" Junko taunted, letting go of her sister while keeping an eye on her, just in case. "Well, it might be wise that Muku and I take our leave, then. I wouldn't want her to break one of your bones, Kiri dearest. And, well… as we said, we needed that filthy soldier for our work, peasant, so we will bid you adieu for now!"

_This isn't over, Kyoko…_ Mukuro thought, angrily walking away without waiting for the Ultimate Fashionista. _There'll be a day I make you fall from your pedestal, and it's going to hurt, and hurt badly…_

* * *

The door banged loudly as the two twins entered their room. Mukuro immediately made a dash for her closet and took out a rifle before Junko could even react.

"Hey, what are you planning to do with that exactly?" the pigtailed girl asked, raising her eyebrow in suspicion. "Go on a rampage?"

"No, just vent a bit," Mukuro answered straightforwardly, reloading the weapon expertly. _I need it right now…_ "I need to shoot at something right now, or I'll get mad again and accidentally murder someone."

Junko smiled. "No need for that. Gimme a second."

Mukuro actually waited, though she continued to pace around the room, weapon still in hand. Meanwhile, the Ultimate Fashionista combed through the drawers of her desk. Before long, she pulled out a photo and a tack and hung the former on one of the walls with the latter.

"There, shoot that instead!" she said with a proud grin while Mukuro gaped. "I'm sure it'll make you feel WAY better!"

"J-Junko… T-Thank you…" the soldier gratefully smiled as she raised her rifle and aimed before placing her finger on the trigger.

"Give it all you've got, Muku!" Junko cheered, sitting on her bed with a satisfied smirk. "And insult it if you need to!"

In fact, hanging on the wall was a picture of Kyoko the fashionista had visibly kept in her desk drawers, and while it wasn't the real deal, it sufficed for the short-haired girl right now.

"O-Okay," Mukuro said with a small blush before pressing the trigger twice. *bang* *bang* "Take that, you bitch! That's what you get for looking down on my feelings for Makoto!"

A couple more gunshots came after that, leaving the Ultimate Detective in the picture with enough holes in her body to consider it overkill. The picture looked like Swiss cheese, much to Mukuro's delight.

"I feel better already…" she said aloud, and her body relaxed. _At least I evacuated enough anger that I won't try to kill the real one any time soon…_ The soldier cast a glance at her despairing sister before sighing. _Junko needs her alive for her plans, so I'll have to wait… And while I genuinely wouldn't have wanted her dead before she decided to fuck with my feelings, it's a whole different story now…_

"Good. Now…" Junko's expression turned unreadable as she stood up and ripped the shredded picture from the wall. "Might I know what the fuck you were doing back there, Muku? I knew you were an incompetent ugly bodyguard, but you've surpassed yourself! You're lucky seeing you in this state brought me some despair!"

"I-I apologize, Junko…" Mukuro said as she tossed her weapon aside and bowed in front of her twin. "I didn't mean to endanger your plans, b-but you know… s-she began taunting me, and it didn't feel _right_ …" _N-Now I've made Junko mad… This is all because of you, Kyoko!_

The fashionista brought her hand to her chin in thought. "Hm… Well, I don't think this blew our cover, so it's kinda fine, I guess, but be careful from now on, got it?" she ordered and received a complying nod the very next moment. "I know you want to defend your precious Makoto, but don't forget to get your priorities straight: my plans, then your love life."

_Y-Yeah, Junko's right… I shouldn't have taken such risks just for my sake… I-I'm such an unselfish person…_ The soldier thought, feeling guilty all of a sudden. "I-I'm so sorry, i-it's just that Makoto… w-well, he means a lot to me, so hearing Kyoko s-say these things… it m-made me forget about your plans for a moment…"

The Mastermind of Despair cackled maniacally, "Puhuhuhu… Being on the verge of my plans failing… So much despair just at the thought of it! But, well… Maybe this little incident allowed you to understand why my final plans could be so beneficial to you… Puhuhuhuhu…"

"Y-Yeah…" Mukuro weakly nodded, even if she wasn't absolutely sure of what her sister was talking about.

Junko's plans for a Killing Game - dubbed the Killing School Life - among the students of Class 78th were crazy, and she was the first one to acknowledge it. Still, it was an inevitable evil if they wanted to plunge the world to total despair, and Mukuro had assured her twin she'd go along with it when needed. Junko had also assured her that it would be beneficial to her, but Mukuro didn't know why.

But she knew her sister was right - because she always was and didn't question it. It couldn't be said that the soldier was particularly looking forward to seeing it go down, but since it was for Junko's sake, she knew her thoughts and opinions didn't matter.

And if she could get something out of it, then there was no reason to doubt, right?

_**To be continued…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this wasn't as friendly and sweet as the last two chapters, right? :p I had really enjoyed this scenes in AOH, so writing this expansion was a lot of fun. I hope you liked it, too. Until the next chapter, please leave a comment, and I hope you all have a nice day (better than mine, at least lol).


	6. Evident Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thinking of apologizing, Mukuro soon realizes that the time for apologies might not have come yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! Here's the sixth chapter to this side story, and once again, this could be considered an expansion to AOH. This chapter takes place during Chapter Nine of AOH, and features scenes some of you might have already read. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

** _Chapter Six:_ _Evident Frustration_ **

Mukuro faced the door of her room, trying to come up with something she could tell Makoto. She wanted to apologize for her behavior during his exam, even if he wasn't present at the time. If Junko had not intervened, the soldier very well could have killed one of her crush's best friends, and looking back on it after calming down, this wasn't a very bright idea… for now.

_Okay, she was an absolute bitch to me, but killing her might be just a tad too much…_ She thought, knowing that her only reason for even snapping back there was her ego. _Makoto wasn't in danger, and it didn't even involve Junko's plans, so I had no good reason to do that…_

With a deep breath, the soldier opened her dorm room door, and with a decisive step, headed for the Luckster's room, musing, _Yeah, Makoto deserves an apology… and if she's willing to say sorry, I might even apologize to Kyo-_

"I expect apologies, Kyoko Kirigiri."

_H-Huh…? What was that…?_ The girl wondered, her ears picking up an unknown masculine voice speaking from further down the hallway. _They're talking to Kyoko…?_

Curious, Mukuro focused closely on the conversation the man and - supposedly - Kyoko were having. She didn't want to eavesdrop, but after her encounter with the Ultimate Detective not more than two hours before, she couldn't resist.

However, the next words she heard made her blood run cold.

"Now, _Naegi_ , you'll leave my granddaughter alone, or I'll teach you a lesson you won't soon forget, are we understood?"

_W-What…?_ The Ultimate Soldier's whole body straightened, and her hand instinctively reached for her vest pocket - and her favorite knife. Aloud and in surprise, she muttered, "M-Makoto…?"

After one second of staying in place, something snapped in Mukuro once again, and she reached the exact same state of fury from before as she made a dash towards the voice she had heard. The only difference from when she had almost fought Kyoko was that, right now, she wanted to protect Makoto - and not herself. He was the one who mattered, maybe as much as Junko did now. Whoever it was that had threatened him like this, they would understand not to mess with the Ultimate Lucky Student on her watch.

The black-haired girl didn't need more than a couple of seconds to stumble upon the scene. She immediately understood the situation - the soldier analyzing every detail like she was about to raid an enemy base.

There was an old man with a cane, the Ultimate Detective with her back turned to the scene, and the Luckster visibly out of it, being stared at by a pair of condescending pale brown eyes.

_H-Him!_ Mukuro thought, grasping her knife and keeping a firm hold on it. Without any hesitation, she swiftly got behind the old man and began to hold him at knife-point. When she spoke, her voice was menacing, "Shut it up, old man."

The Ultimate Soldier pressed the cold metal of her blade against the man's neck, almost drawing blood. She made sure to put enough pressure to hurt, but not enough that he wouldn't dare to talk.

Makoto was the first one to react, his eyes widening in shock. Meanwhile, the detective turned around, gasping for a quick moment before her expression became unreadable. Mukuro had a feeling of déjà vu, but it didn't matter to her.

No, the only thing that really mattered at the time was to ensure Makoto's safety.

Though, when the Ultimate Lucky Student next spoke - or more precisely, screamed - the Ultimate Soldier wondered if she had made the right choice.

"M-MUKURO?! WHAT THE HELL?!"

Mukuro considered herself lucky to be so used to bomb explosions, or the lucky student would have ruptured her eardrums for sure.

_M-Makoto… I-I'm doing this for you!_ She thought, applying a little more force on the old man's throat as she spoke threateningly, "If you even dare touch a hair of Makoto's… I'll make sure you don't do it again. Are we understood?" the short-haired girl emphasized on that last part, very slowly moving the blade against the man's skin.

Visibly not caring much for the situation he had found himself wrapped up in, even if he was evidently surprised (who wouldn't be), the man in question sighed and spoke very calmly. It irritated Mukuro even more. "Very well."

_This guy is too arrogant for his own good…_ The soldier retracted her blade only a little bit, knowing it would be foolish to let her hostage go so quickly and without any insurance that he wouldn't go back on his words the very next second. _I'll be the one teaching this guy a lesson, and then I'll do the same for Kirigiri…_

" _Ikusaba_."

Mukuro looked up, her train of thought abruptly interrupted by the Ultimate Detective's low voice. The lavender-haired girl's eyes were still closed, but Mukuro could see her glare anyway. She actually gulped before staring at her with darkening eyes, trying to show her she wasn't intimidated in the slightest.

"Get away from my grandfather…"

The look on Makoto's face broke Mukuro's heart, but she just couldn't comply. There was an aura surrounding Kyoko as if she had canalized her anger and fury, and it had now materialized. The detective's voice was so calm, it was unsettling. The soldier felt a shiver run down her spine, but she bit her lip and kept her head high, letting her own frustration and anger out by pressing her cold knife once more against the man's throat.

Now that she knew this old geezer was her wicked rival's grandfather… the Ultimate Soldier didn't feel like letting go any time soon, as a way to make Kyoko understand just how much she wanted to punish her. This was potentially even killing two birds with one stone: by sparing Kyoko (for now), she didn't have to ruin Junko's plans and could make the detective understand she was for real.

"Woah, let's calm down here, okay?!" the hazel-eyed boy ordered in a panic, visibly not knowing where the situation was more urgent. "M-Mukuro, drop that knife, and Kyoko, settle down alright?!"

His pleas barely reached Mukuro, and she could see they had not made it to her opponent's ears either. As much as she knew it was the better choice to listen to him, as always, the soldier couldn't. She needed to show Kyoko just how much of a mistake messing with her could be, even if she knew Makoto didn't want that.

He was her only hope, and she hated betraying it. His words had inspired her so much in the past, and they still did. Every time they talked and interacted, he was her guidance, her alternative to Junko's despair, and that meant the world to her.

But right now, she wasn't Mukuro Ikusaba, the girl in love with a boy she shouldn't love… but Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier, trained for these kinds of moments where she had to keep her head on straight to win the battle.

_Yeah, you'll see, Kyoko! That should dissuade you from sticking your nose where it shouldn't be, you bit-_

"Hey, what the hell's happening here?!"

"Oh no, what now?!" Makoto exclaimed frustratingly, stomping his foot on the floor.

A muscular and blue-wearing man rushed towards the scene while the Luckster continued to look around. What was he searching for, Mukuro didn't know. She admittedly didn't care much right now, though.

The new thing the soldier was considering right now was this unexpected person who stood before the fight as Mukuro and Kyoko continued to stare at each other with pretty illegal thoughts on their respective minds.

"You! Drop that weapon!" he instructed, approaching Kyoko's grandfather and reaching for the blade. However, his arm stopped midway, and his eyes widened in surprise.

_Why did it have to be HIM?!_ The soldier clenched her teeth, not liking how the situation was turning out for her. _Couldn't that fucker have been busy with the Reserve Course?! Junko didn't cause a fucking riot for him to run around the campus!_

"W-Wait, y-you're…!" the words died in his mouth, and Mukuro would have sighed in relief if the situation had been more casual than it currently was.

She tensed up, and so did he, his muscular frame hiding the Ultimate Detective from the soldier's view. Mukuro had no choice but to take a step back and release the old man, unceremoniously pushing him towards his granddaughter.

"Phew, thank God…" she heard Makoto mutter, though, once again, that wasn't her main focus.

_Fuck!_ "Sakakura, I don't think you should get involved in this." the black-haired girl told him, holding her knife semi-threateningly. _He knows, so I can't fuck this up!_

As much as she wanted to punish Kyoko, Mukuro knew her priority wasn't there. She had one job, and it was to help her twin with her plans, which meant she couldn't do whatever she wanted. Right now, for example, the presence of this man, Hope's Peak Academy's Security Chief, backed Mukuro into a corner.

Indeed, Juzo Sakakura knew everything. The Student Council Killing Game, the truth about Izuru Kamakura, about the Parade… Somehow, he knew - and Junko had made sure he wouldn't spill the beans anytime soon. The Ultimate Fashionista had utterly humiliated him, stepping on him with her classy high-heels, walking on his dignity at the same time. Junko held a strong secret against the man, and even if Mukuro didn't see why it would hurt him so much to see it be leaked, it was the best leverage the Mastermind of Despair had against him.

Mukuro didn't consider herself very bright, but she knew a slip of the tongue wasn't something you could avoid (or it wouldn't be a slip, in the first place), and if the Former Ultimate Boxer happened to say anything… unfortunate, especially in front of the Ultimate Detective… it would be all over.

"My job is to ensure security here." the boxer told her confidently, getting into a fighting stance. "So if you think I can have a student threatening someone here, then guess again!"

_Big words for someone who got his dignity ripped apart…_ The soldier thought, her expression perfectly neutral as she and the former student stared at each other. _I don't have time to fight with him, nor do I want to… Junko beat him, but she had the help of all the parading students… Besides, I don't give two shits about him…_

"Fine." she simply stated, putting the knife back in her pocket, her glare softening - a bit. "Then I'll take my leave." when Sakakura moved slightly, the soldier's eyes met Kyoko's, and they exchanged one last venomous look. "Now do your job and take this man away." _I'll deal with you later, Kyoko, believe me…_

Begrudgingly, the Ultimate Soldier turned around and returned to her dorm room, making sure not to meet her crush's confused expression. If anything, she felt she had done the right thing, for herself, for him, and for Junko.

* * *

"Going out for a walk, Muku?" Junko asked as she did her make-up. "Don't forget that our dear Academy isn't as safe as it always was, puhuhuhu…"

"I'll be fine." the soldier replied quickly, pocketing her knife as well as a grenade. "I'll go train in my talent development room for a bit, and I'll be back. Besides, the parading students know me, and even if killing me would probably bring them a lot of despair, I don't think they'd be able to do that."

The fashionista grinned and almost convulsed. "My, my, Muku! Where did all that self-confidence come from? You go, girl! Your downfall will be much more despair-inducing for me if you start to give yourself some self-worth!"

Mukuro blushed a bit in embarrassment and shyly spoke again. "W-Well… After what happened with Kyoko yesterday… I-I feel like I'm worth something, even if it's not much… A-And I'm trying to change so that Makoto will like me and I'll prove her wrong. That will be how I'll humiliate her the way she tried to humiliate me."

"Hm, bold of you to assume you can get Makoto, Muku." the blonde told her, gathering half of her hair and tying it into one of her customary pigtails. "You know the detective bitch still has the lead on you, right? And besides, the day he learns that you're helping me with my plans… Puhuhuhu, the despair in your eyes; I can see it!"

_Which is why I'll make sure he doesn't have to know… Junko's plans *have* to go through, but I'll do my best so that Makoto can survive for as long as possible!_ The black-haired girl pondered. Then, she straightened herself and replied, "I-I know that, but I'll do my best to show him I appreciate his presence in my life… I… I know he probably likes Kyoko more than me, and it hurts, but… I don't want to give up _hope_ yet."

"Hope, Muku? What hope?" Junko wondered, frowning in curiosity as she finished doing her hair with her hair clips. "Don't tell me you've given up and decided to fight for hope, hm…?"

The look of betrayal on the Ultimate Fashionista's face made Mukuro curse herself for her poor choice of words. _S-Shit, couldn't I have worded this better?!_ "N-No, I'm with you, Junko!" the soldier assured her, slightly panicking and stammering. "I-It's just… as long as it's possible, I'll do my best to protect Makoto. He… helped me when I needed it, and if I can avoid it, for now, I'd rather make sure he doesn't get hurt."

She bowed in front of her sister, apologizing, "I'm sorry if you thought I was about to betray you, Junko. I-I swear I never will! You're my sister, and I love you too much to betray you!"

There was a moment of silence during which the blonde stared into her twin's grey orbs, analyzing them. It made the Ultimate Soldier a little uncomfortable, but she exactly knew why Junko was doing this.

_She wants to know if I'm being genuine…_ She mused, trying to look as natural as possible. _But she'll soon realize that I am. I could never dream of betraying her… even if Makoto's hope brought me so much…_

"Fine, fine," Junko said, changing the subject. "Now, go and have your walk and give me some peace and quiet. You better bring me a despairing story when you come back, though!"

Mukuro allowed herself a small smile, thinking, _That's the Junko I love… And maybe… maybe there's a world in which I can love Makoto and live in Junko's world of despair…_

* * *

After her training in her talent development room, Mukuro walked back to the dorms, smiling as she did so. Some physical activity had always been an effective way for her to vent, and she felt better after working a good sweat. And if anything, training couldn't hurt her in the slightest, considering the situation.

_I miss the battlefield…_ The former Fenrir member thought, remembering all these times the adrenaline would just take over, allowing her to be at her absolute best. _Hope's Peak allowed me to meet Makoto, and it's the stage for Junko's plans to begin, but… I'll always be nostalgic of these battles I fought…_

It wasn't the sad kind of nostalgia, however. Mukuro knew that for her and her twin, the future wasn't looking so grim. It didn't sadden her much, but she missed the sensations of what had forged her character before the Luckster made it change - for the better.

She pushed the door to the dormitories open and walked in. There wasn't anyone to be seen, so the soldier simply headed for her and Junko's room. However, just as she was about to unlock it, a sound caught her attention.

"K-Kyoko!"

_Huh?_

Turning her head in the direction of the sound - and once again getting an unpleasant sensation of déjà vu - Mukuro noticed the Ultimate Lucky Student rushing in a panic towards the detective's door.

_What the hell is he doing…?_ She wondered, seeing him shout the girl's name a few more times, seemingly overcome with worry. _And…_ The soldier noticed another figure in her line of sight, making her frown. _Why in the world is Ms. Yoshida with him…?_

She took a step towards the boy and their teacher before deciding it wasn't a good idea. Instead, she just curiously watched as Makoto began to press on Kyoko's doorbell repeatedly - wondering, _What could have led him to act like this…? He's usually more composed than that… Could something have happened to Kyoko…?_

Questions invaded her mind, but that last theory… she didn't mind so much. Although… whatever the implications of what she was witnessing were… they didn't please her. Mukuro did her best to keep them away, for the time being, focusing on understanding what was happening.

*driiiing* *driiiing* *driiiing* *driiiing* *driiiing* *driiiing*

"Kyoko! It's me!" the boy shouted as he pounded on the door again and again. "Kyoko! Please let me in!"

"She can't hear you, Makoto; the rooms are soundproof." Yuki reminded him, appearing much calmer than he was, although she wasn't entirely composed either.

Mukuro frowned as she noticed traces of tears under Makoto's eyes. She knew appearing "out of nowhere" now would make it easy to guess she'd been eavesdropping, so the soldier made sure to remain hidden, but she still didn't understand what was going on.

_Why is Makoto on the brink of tears…?_ She wondered, scenarios already running through her mind. _I-I swear, Kyoko if you're the one who made him cry-_

"Kyoko!" the Luckster shouted again, somewhat beggingly. "Kyoko!"

Each time the boy cried the detective's name, Mukuro felt a part of her heart waver, as if Kyoko was stabbing her through Makoto's words.

"Are you sure she's here, Makoto?" Ms. Yoshida asked really carefully, and Mukuro guessed she wanted to make sure the boy didn't enrage. She was grateful for that, even if she couldn't say it. "She could have gone elsewhere."

"No, I'm sure she's here!" Makoto assured her, his passion not receding one bit as he continued to pound into the door with more force than Mukuro had assumed he had.

_W-Why are you trying so desperately to reach out to her, Makoto?! What the fuck happened?!_ The Ultimate Soldier wondered, stomping her foot on the floor in frustration. She wanted to do something, but knowing she couldn't was just _so_ frustrating.

Suddenly, another door opened, and as the room's occupant noticed the scene, they pointed their finger at the lucky student and the former lucky student, saying, "Hey, what's going on here?! What are you two commoners doing?"

Mukuro didn't think the situation could get worse, but then appeared Byakuya Togami. He didn't rival Kyoko in terms of how much the soldier disliked him, but the Ultimate Affluent Progeny could clearly get on her nerves sometimes with how arrogant he was. Seeing him talk to her crush like that angered her to no end.

Luckily for Mukuro, the hazel-eyed boy did a fine job making the Togami heir understand he wasn't welcome to his door-pounding party. "Go away, Byakuya! Get the hell out of here!" he snapped before punching the door.

The Ultimate Soldier gasped at the curse. Makoto only rarely cursed, so that went to show just how furious he was. It made Mukuro even angrier at herself that she didn't know what was wrong with her crush.

_How can I claim to be someone Makoto could love when I can't even see what's wrong with him?! Fuck, I'm so useless-_

"What did you say…?" Byakuya demanded, and the soldier could see his eyes narrowing on the lucky student, with his condescending look.

When the idea of intervening like she had done earlier with Kyoko's grandfather flashed through her mind, the homeroom teacher made sure she didn't have the opportunity.

"Togami. To your room. Now." she ordered warningly - showing a scary side the students rarely saw. An example of a time she had been like this before, possibly even more furious, was after the near-brawl in class after Chihiro's secret reveal.

The heir didn't argue further, saying, "Hmph. Very well. I'm expecting an explanation later, though." before returning to his room.

Mukuro heard her lucky classmate sigh before he went back to pounding on the door and ringing on the doorbell, still as passionately as before. It continued to drive the short-haired girl crazy.

_Why the hell do you need to see her so much, Makoto?! I need to understand, goddamnit!_

*driiiing* *driiiing* *driiiing* *driiiing* *driiiing* *driiiing*

"Makoto, perhaps you should give… it a… rest…" the words died in Yuki's mouth as the door slowly opened, making both Makoto and Mukuro tense up. "Okay, never mind…"

When the soldier noticed the Ultimate Detective crying, she knew she should have been happy. After all, it was her arch-enemy, her rival for Makoto's heart… But even before a smile could appear on the soldier's lips, her eyes widened in a mix of sorrow, heartbreak, and despair.

"M-Makoto…"

"KYOKO! OH, KYOKO!"

The boy threw himself in Kyoko's arms, tightly hugging her and catching her by surprise. The homeroom teacher looked at the scene with fond eyes while Mukuro's body began uncontrollably convulsing in despair. Just the sight of her crush and life-changer in her rival's arms was already haunting her, and it made something in her brain just snap (again).

She could imagine Kyoko arrogantly smirking at her and mocking her, knowing this wasn't something she'd ever stand up from.

_K-Kirigiri… Kirigiri… Kirigiri… KIRIGIRI!_ The grenade in her pocket was in her hand before she could even think of what she was doing. _I'll… I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU EVEN IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!_

She moved to unpin it, her fingers expertly handling the explosive. However, as she was about to pull the pin out and start a deadly countdown, she stopped.

" _I know I don't fucking deserve Makoto, but I've always respected him, goddamnit!"_

" _I-I'm so sorry, i-it's just that Makoto… w-well, he means a lot to me, so hearing Kyoko s-say these things… it m-made me forget about your plans for a moment…"_

These were Mukuro's two sides, trying to reason with her right now.

On the one hand, there was Mukuro who loved Makoto and who always respected his feelings. Why? Because he had always handled hers with great care, even when no one had ever done that before.

On the other hand, there was Mukuro, one of the Despair Sisters whose sole goal in life was to help her sister. Why? Because she _owed_ her that much for not being born good enough and being a burden in Junko's life.

These two Mukuros were so different; they were almost not the same person. But right now, these two versions of herself agreed on one thing: throwing that grenade was a bad idea.

She'd lose everything: Makoto, her sister's trust, and whatever hope she had in all the despair that was her life. Sure, blowing off the Ultimate Detective's body would bring her an unmatched satisfaction, but it would all be over before she could even enjoy it.

It would mean destroying her life. All the efforts she had made to change would be for nothing. All the moments shared with Makoto, getting to know what hope was like, would be as good as forgotten. Her promises to Junko, to always love her and to be by her side forever… would sound hollow.

So Mukuro sighed and put the grenade back in her pocket before turning around and returning to her room. She was frustrated, of course. But deep down, she realized this was the better choice. Perhaps she had lost the battle, and maybe she'd lose the war, but that didn't mean anything in the long run.

_No… The only thing that matters is that the people I live for are there with me… Junko, Makoto… I love you both so much…_

_**To be continued…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing these scenes from Mukuro's POV was interesting for me, since they took place in the chapter I had the most fun writing when I was writing AOH. I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it. We're getting closer and closer to the end of this side story, and we'll actually be making a pretty big time skip in the next chapter. Until then, please leave a comment and I hope you all have a good day! :)


	7. Junko's Love Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mukuro realizes that everything might not be lost yet thanks to her sister...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! Here's the seventh chapter to this side story about Mukuro! It takes place during Chapter Fourteen of AOH (yeah, we've made a bit of a timeskip) and once again includes a scene that was in the main story, now told from Mukuro's POV! Still, you'll find an original scene, too! We're getting closer and closer to the end, now, too! Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**_Chapter Seven:_ _Junko's Love Advice_ **

Mukuro chuckled, thinking, _Busted, Makoto…_ as the lucky student tiptoed behind her. He appeared clueless that the soldier had heard him enter, but she let him have his fun. "I am the Ultimate Soldier, Makoto; I heard you the moment you entered, you know?" Mukuro told him as he stood next to her, making the girl smile. "You need to work on your stealth if you ever want to take me by surprise, I'm afraid."

The boy smiled in amusement, realizing his attempt at being discreet had failed before it even began. Nevertheless, the soldier was glad to see her crush here, even if his presence had not been expected. Well, there was only so much you could do in the shelter, so it made sense they crossed paths ever so often.

"Yeah, probably…" he replied, a little embarrassed. "How are you, Mukuro?"

_That boy…_ The girl thought, always surprised by how kind he could be to her. "I'm fine, thank you. I had been training since lunch, so I thought some relaxation here wouldn't hurt," she explained, making Makoto nod. The greenhouse was a place Mukuro often visited to get some peace and quiet and to get her mind off of things. "And you? Done eating like a glutton yet?"

They shared a genuine laugh, and Mukuro felt _good_ giggling with her crush. These moments, even in the early days of their sheltered life, were always the best. As soon as one ended, the soldier was already looking forward to the next. This was just how much she enjoyed Makoto's presence.

She knew how glad Makoto was whenever she acted more openly, so she tried to do it more often. After approximately a year of knowing her classmates, Mukuro had grown more social and self-confident, and even if she wasn't exactly everyone's friend yet, she had made tremendous progress. This, of course, was all thanks to the Luckster.

However, when the lucky boy had finished laughing, his expression grew serious and grim, making Mukuro furrow her brow. _What happened that Makoto did an emotional 180 like that…?_ She wondered, trying to keep her worry rational, even if it wasn't simple.

"Mukuro? Could we talk for a minute?" he suddenly asked, and the soldier felt the mood changing immediately. He looked up to meet her eyes and added, "If I'm not disturbing your peace and quiet, of course…"

_Hm… I have a bad feeling about this, but not asking won't make it go away…_ Mukuro spoke carefully, unsure of what the answer to her question would be but somewhat curious. "No, it is fine. What did you want to talk about?"

The Ultimate Lucky Student went silent for a short moment, visibly deep in thought. The deep breath he took didn't bode well, but the Ultimate Soldier didn't give up. He appeared anxious, but Mukuro tried to find comfort in the fact that it could just be nervousness. Being nervous didn't mean you were about to tell bad news, right?

_Right…?_

"S-See… It's about Kyoko."

_Fuck._

Mukuro's eyes drifted away from the boy as soon as the words were out of his mouth. She sighed, knowing deep down that this day was bound to come one day or the other. If it wasn't today, then it would have been tomorrow or the day after. Things were, the soldier wasn't delusional and knew there'd be a day she'd have to face the truth.

"I'm afraid to ask, but what do you want to tell me about Kyoko?" she turned back towards her crush, and she didn't even look sad. No, it was more something akin to resignation. She urged him to speak, "Go on, break my spirit, Makoto…"

"M-Mukuro…" his eyes showed compassion, and the girl knew her classmate was sorry for her. Things were, being sorry wouldn't change the situation. There also seemed to be a form of understanding in the way he looked at her. A form of respect, she thought. "Y-Yeah… Kyoko and I are dating."

There was a short moment of silence during which they stared at each other, and the boy seemed to dread his friend's reaction. Mukuro couldn't blame him. After all, there was always the possibility she'd stab him for telling her such news. It hurt the soldier, knowing this was a theory Makoto had probably thought about.

She turned around again, not having any other words for Makoto than a weak "I see…"

"M-Mukuro?"

The soldier's emotions were a mess. Of course, now that her suspicions had been confirmed, there was sadness. It was a terrible emotion to feel right now for Mukuro. There was heartbreak, too, but also melancholy. A feeling that, maybe, the past had never really happened. Perhaps it had all been an illusion.

Maybe her hope had been an illusion, after all.

"It's okay, Makoto…" _It's really not._ "Y-You're free to do what you want…" _But that doesn't make it any less painful._ She tried to keep her emotions to herself like she always did, but she just couldn't. Mukuro's strong side be damned: she couldn't hold it anymore. "*sniff* I… I won't stop you… *sniff*."

She so desperately wanted to, though. It was _her_ ambition in life: getting that demon away from her loved one. Not Junko's; _hers_. To want so little, but to see it being taken away from her… the mere thought drove Mukuro insane.

_I… I never asked for anything other than Junko's love… A-And the only time I pursue something… t-there's that girl in the way, stealing my dream from me! Of course, she's prettier than me, smarter than me, and she doesn't help with a crazy plan to plunge the world into despair, huh? Why would anyone care about a fucking piece of trash like me when there's your Disney Princess right around the corner, catching criminals and acting all badass, right?_

"Don't cry, Mukuro, please…" Makoto begged weakly, hearing the soldier's sobs. "You're my friend, Mukuro, and I don't want to see you cry."

_I know. But that doesn't change anything._

"M-Makoto… *sniff* I… I… I'm worthless!" she cried before pausing, trying to compose herself the best she could. "I don't deserve to be your friend! That's why I never asked you out in the first place!"

She exclaimed this with force, thinking it would convince him. After all, this was what she believed and had always believed. Perhaps there had been a couple of moments she had entertained the _idea_ she could be worth anything to anyone, but they'd been few and far between. And in any case, Mukuro knew, deep down, that she _was_ worthless. To Junko. To Makoto. To herself.

_I-If I was not worthless… then Makoto would have loved me! He would have loved me the way he loves Kyoko! E-Even he thinks I'm just trash to dispose of-_

"No, that's wrong!" his shout caught her by surprise. His voice was passionate, as he was whenever he fought for something he deemed right. "Mukuro, you're my friend, just as much as everyone else is! And you're not worthless! I'm flattered a girl liked you liked me, Mukuro, I really am! And just because I don't feel the same way towards you doesn't make you worthless!"

The soldier felt a hand on her shoulder, making her gasp in surprise as she turned around and noticed the boy looking at her with empathy. But contrary to what he might have thought, this made her feel even worse.

_I don't deserve anyone's sympathy, and certainly not Makoto's…_

"You're my friend, and I treasure my friendship with you as much as the others!" the lucky student told her, apparently trying to make her understand his point. With a smile, Makoto added, "I know it wasn't always easy for you to make friends, Mukuro, but I'm glad you grew and opened up to the others. And I'm glad I got to meet you, as my friend, because you are among the people I'll never forget whenever we get out of here." his eyes shined with hope as he said those words, and Mukuro didn't have it in her to tell him how unrealistic he was sounding. "And I know that while I am your friend, there is someone out there who you'll love and who'll love you back. You have my word, Mukuro. So, please, don't cry…"

"M-Makoto…" _N-No… I-I don't…_

The black-haired girl could see just how much the Luckster believed he had convinced her. He was so used to his speeches motivating anyone who needed it, another result seemed impossible. In a way, Makoto had become arrogant, believing he was the person who'd help anyone who needed it. The mere thought of defining Makoto, of all people, as "arrogant" would have been enough to make Mukuro laugh.

If only she had been in the mood to laugh, that is. The words were out of her mouth before she could even think them through.

"I-I've done terrible things! I _am_ worthless! I don't deserve to be your friend, and I don't deserve to feel this way for you!"

The urgency in her voice took Makoto by surprise.

"M-Mukuro?"

_Y-Yeah…?_

"Whatever you did on the battlefield, or wherever, I don't care, Mukuro!"

_Y-You… You don't know what I did, Makoto!_

"The person I call my friend isn't the soldier!"

_I-It's not…? T-Then w-who-_

"It's the girl who overcame her cold and shy nature to become friends with everyone!"

_A-Am I… Am I really that girl…?_

"Mukuro… the person you should be loving first and foremost isn't me, and it isn't Junko…"

_R-Really…? B-But, if it's not you… a-and if it's not Junko, then w-_

"… it should be you, Mukuro."

_M-Me…? I… I should… l-love myself…?_

"You need to realize that you're worth just as much as everyone…"

_I-I'm worth… just as much as everyone…?_

"… and that anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. Yourself included."

_A… lie…? I-I've been… lying to myself…?_

One last look at his friendly and hopeful smile was enough to make her accept it. Mukuro broke down and fell in his arms, the boy being barely strong enough to catch her. The soldier wrapped her arms around her crush's body in a tight hug, never wanting to let go, to always be close to the boy she loved.

"M-Makoto… T-Thank… Thank you…" _And I'm sorry…_

As the girl cried her eyes out against the Ultimate Lucky Student's shoulder, she felt his hope clash against her sister's despair, making her realize the day she dreaded when she would need to part ways with either one of them… perhaps she'd be able to endure it.

* * *

"Hey, you can't say I didn't warn you, Muku!" Junko said, toying with her Monokuma plushie. "You had no chance whatsoever against the detective bitch! You had lost before you had even tried to compete against her!"

"I-I know…" Mukuro muttered, sitting deep in thought on her bed. "It's just… Hearing it from his mouth… It stung, you know?"

The Ultimate Soldier had just told her twin about the chat she'd had with Makoto only a few minutes prior. She felt like turning to Junko would be a good idea - after all, the fashionista always knew what to do, so perhaps she'd be able to help her out. Or maybe she'd leave her helpless, taking pleasure in seeing her twin and personal bodyguard despairing over her situation.

Turns out, her reply was a bit of both. "Well, it's not my fucking fault you can't do anything right, you idiot! If you weren't so much of a chicken to ask him out before she did, then perhaps things would have been different!"

"Y-Yeah, I know that, but…" _I should have acted sooner, but I was too shy to confess to Makoto… And I can't blame Kyoko for having feelings for him… Makoto's just too likable for anyone to resist…_ "I thought that maybe…" her voice went down a couple of levels as she spoke with some shame in her voice. "M-Maybe he'd have feelings for me and would ask me out before I did…"

Junko raised an eyebrow in surprise at first, and Mukuro guessed her sister was trying to evaluate how serious she was when she said that. Upon realizing this was something her soldier twin was genuinely thinking - or at least, had genuinely _thought_ \- she erupted in laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Haha, Muku… Good one!" the blonde said, out of breath from laughing this loud. "Seriously, I haven't laughed this hard in a while! No, but more seriously… you're kidding… right?"

_T-That's what I thought… I would have been the laughing stock of the class if I had ever told anyone that…_ Mukuro mused, her shoulders slumping with disappointment. "N-No, I'm serious… I know this is silly, but I thought that maybe there was a chance…"

"No, there wasn't, Muku." her sister insisted, shaking her head in disagreement. "And care to know why?"

"S-Sure…" _I haven't the foggiest idea… other than because I am just not someone anyone wants to love, I guess…_

"Puhuhuhuhu, that's because of me, Muku!" Junko announced with a manic cackle. "If I had not so often 'teased' you by saying you were crushing on the luck boy in front of everyone, or if I had given you more time to bond with him instead of helping me… then you two would probably be fucking like rabbits right now! Oh, the despair; knowing I'm the reason my sister missed her chance with the love of her life…! I'm feeling great just thinking about it!"

"R-Really…?" _I… I guess that makes sense…_ Mukuro thought, choosing to ignore her twin maniacally laughing in despair for the moment. _There were times I had to turn Makoto down when he offered to hang out… and I've had a lot on my mind with Junko's plans for pretty much the whole year…_ She observed Junko with a pensive expression, unsure of what to think. _Would I have been better? Would my life be better if I had chosen to "pursue" Makoto instead of helping Junko with her plans…?_

The Ultimate Fashionista was entirely out of control, convulsing violently and hugging her plushie close. The sight decided it for Mukuro.

_No… This is a path I chose because I knew it was the best for Junko… At the end of the day… Makoto is no more than a pawn in her play, and I've promised her I wouldn't fail… Not again… But still-_

"But, you know…" seeing the Mastermind of Despair now somewhat calmed, Mukuro looked up to listen to her sister's wisdom after having her train of thought interrupted. "You've lost a battle, but not yet the war, Muku."

"H-Huh? What do you mean Junko…?"

"Hey, I try using vocabulary your stupid self knows, so at least make an effort to understand!" the blonde said and pouted. "Anyway, what my splendid self was trying to tell you, was that you might not have gotten Makoto now… but what about the future, Muku?"

"The… future?" the soldier echoed unsurely, though she was afraid of disappointing Junko once more by not getting what she meant. _What does Junko mean…? Makoto chose to date Kyoko, and except if it doesn't work well between the two of them - which is doubtful - they'll remain together… And even if they broke up, he said he didn't have feelings for me, so…_

"Yeah, the future, Muku!" the fashionista declared with enthusiasm. "Y'know, with the Killing Game, and stuff? That thing I worked on so hard to achieve…? Ring any bells?"

"Y-Yeah, of course…" _Hm, even I couldn't forget that… The climax of Junko's plans… But what does the Killing Game have to do with anyth- … oh._

Seeing the look of realization on her sister's face, Junko clapped ironically, saying, "Yeah, Muku finally understood! Good job, Muku! Here, a gold star for you!" the black-haired girl sweatdropped, not offended by how ironic the Ultimate Analytical Prowess was being right now, as she really tossed a gold star at her. "Yeah, perhaps the luck boy doesn't give a shit about you right now, at least romantically, but… what if we started all over again? What if he went back to ground zero and was forced to rediscover everything… and _everyone_ …?"

Mukuro's eyes widened the more her crazy twin talked. She desperately tried to find the part where she'd be a piece of trash Junko would laugh in despair at… but nothing. The blonde was (mostly) genuine, and Mukuro had to admit it made her think twice about the whole thing.

_That's right… Makoto and the others will lose their memories of our time spent together at Hope's Peak… They'll be two years older than they'll believe…_ She mused, adopting a pensive stance. _With that, Makoto won't remember Kyoko at all, and his feelings for her should disappear… The reverse is true, too… and considering Kyoko didn't give a shit about Makoto at first, if I'm being reactive enough when the game starts, then…!_

A smile slowly appeared on the Ultimate Soldier's lips as she realized all was not over yet for her. And technically, she'd be respecting Makoto's feelings… since he wouldn't have them anymore! Really, this sounded like a genius plan - to only a couple of details.

_Yeah, I'll be posing as Junko during the game; that's the biggest problem…_ Mukuro thought but didn't let that reduce her current happiness. _I'll look like Junko, so he technically wouldn't be loving me, but the way I impersonate her… Is there a way around that?_

She began to think more deeply, scratching her head as she tried to come up with a solution to her problem.

"Hey, I think it's the first time I've actually seen you think!" Junko joked, then giggled alone. "Geez, that boy really makes you less useless than you usually are! Keep that up, and I'll actually believe you have a brain!"

"T-Thanks…" Mukuro shyly replied, not so used to being complimented, even by her own flesh and blood. "It's just that I'm trying to see how I could avoid any mistakes after the Killing Game begins. Since I'll be posing as you, I-I think it makes sense to think that Makoto would eventually like _you_ , and not me…"

Junko nodded in understanding, visibly taking her sister's musing pretty seriously.

"Well, everyone would absolutely fall in love with my great and almightly self, but…" she quickly tied her hair in a ponytail and grabbed her glasses before adding, "Of course, there exists a way around that, if I can get your attention for a second?"

"S-Sure…" _There's a high chance I don't understand any of what she'll tell me now…_ She thought, knowing that each time her sister adopted her intellectual persona, she would confuse anyone who tried to understand her.

"Well, if we consider the fact that our esteemed classmates will be put in a situation of great danger and stress, it is safe to assume their feelings will not be functioning correctly." the fashionista began. _So far, so good…_ Mukuro thought, hoping it wouldn't get unclear next. "Thus, with the predicament of slowly but surely seeing their classmates die cruel and maybe underserved deaths will make them plunge into a deep depression, possibly even to despair. And in this state of mind, and if you are capable of holding on for that long a time… the possibility exists in which a despairing Makoto Naegi develops feelings for you, the likelihood of which is not high… but not out of the realm of possibility. Any questions?"

"N-No…" Mukuro replied quickly, surprised she'd been able to follow through all of it. "I think I understood it all…" _And she might be right… If I play my cards right and make sure Makoto doesn't get hurt during the Killing Game, he might appreciate it and want to date me! Besides, maybe someone gets rid of Kyoko early on and eliminates the possibility of him liking her! That's a great plan! Then, if he falls to despair, he would accept the fact that it wasn't Junko but me in the game!_

Still, there was something in this that didn't please Mukuro completely. Something off, in a way. A detail that made her wonder if this was really an ideal scenario. It seemed almost flawless, with the only thing that could go wrong being if Makoto died and she couldn't protect him.

But there was that one thing the soldier quickly put her finger on.

_Makoto falling to despair… Is that something I want? After all, the reason he changed me so much was that he's always so hopeful, always so enthusiastic… If he were to lose that… would he still be the same Makoto I have feelings for…? Would there be any point in loving Makoto if he wasn't really Makoto…? I-I know Junko wants to see everyone feel as much despair as possible, and I do too, but…_

She sighed.

_Well, maybe I'm overthinking this. Right now, the Killing Game is my only chance to ever get another chance with Makoto, so I shouldn't be thinking this way…_

The two twins exchanged a quick glance, comforting Mukuro's thoughts.

_Besides, even if things go wrong… I still have Junko, right?_

_**To be continued…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized while reading this chapter that the phrase "the two sides of the same coin" applied very well to Mukuro in this story. She really has her life as the girl crushing on Makoto, and another as Junko's sister. Well, that was just a random thought I wanted to share, haha. I hope you liked this chapter, anyway. Please leave a comment! :) Have a nice day, everyone!


	8. My Sister of Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In-between deception and love, Mukuro finds that her sister's feelings are even more complicated to understand than she initially thought. And with time before total despair being so tight, the soldier doesn't know what to make of one last sentence that sounded like a warning...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! Here is the penultimate chapter to this Mukuro side story. It takes place during Chapter Sixteen of The Academy of Hope. I hope you'll like it!

** _Chapter Eight:_ _My Sister of Despair_ **

"A last bit of foundation here, and…" Junko let go of the small brush, looking into the mirror and observing her sister's reflection. "Done! You're almost not as ugly as usual, Muku!"

The soldier blushed, even if the layers of make-up on her cheeks made that unnoticeable to her sister. She looked at herself in the mirror, thinking, _I… I feel different… I wouldn't say it's better, but I feel like another person. W-Well, that's kinda the point…_

"Now, where did I put my wig…" the fashionista wondered as she headed towards her closet and combed through it before taking out a long and slightly curled strawberry blonde wig. "There, put this on, Muku."

She tossed the wig at her sister, who caught it expertly. "T-Thanks…" _N-Now, how do I put this on, again…? The last time I did this was while Junko was her alternate and amnesiac self, and that seems like so long ago…_

Time had flown by in the shelter quicker than Mukuro had ever thought it could. Today was December 31st, which meant that another year was about to be wrapped up. And with how eventful it had been, the soldier felt like it had been less than a day since the last New Year's Eve.

Indeed, in only a year, the world had fallen to despair. It had all begun with the Parade - caused by the Student Council Killing Game and the "reveal" that Hope's Peak Academy had been spending the Reserve Course's money like water on human experimentation. It wasn't entirely true… but it wasn't entirely false, either. Let's just say that Junko had exaggerated things a bit as to enrage the talentless Reserve Course students, which had kickstarted her plans.

After that, Junko had executed Chiaki Nanami, Class 77-B beloved Class Representative, effectively turning the Ultimate Gamer's former classmates to despair. The fashionista had truly outdone herself on that one, to the point that even the emotionless Izuru Kamakura - the Ultimate Ultimate - had cried afterward. Then, the sheltering plan came along, and it was a dream come true for the blonde. She now had the best opportunity she would ever get for her Killing Game plans to advance, and this was all thanks to the Headmaster's cluelessness.

The alumnus of Hope's Peak had formed a foundation to fight against Junko's despair, but even then… the twins knew for a fact that things were bound to go awry at some point: there was a mole among them. Well, if he knew, their leader would have said, _"there's an imposter among us,"_ but the thing was, no one knew, other than the two sisters. And it hadn't even been planned!

Luck was definitely on Junko's side, and the Ultimate Fashionista knew starting a brand new year with a Killing Game would be the final nail in the world's coffin. But it required preparation, and that's what they were doing right now.

Junko stood behind her sister, who was currently struggling with the bundle of blonde hair she'd been asked to put on. The fashionista sighed.

"You really are useless…" she said, removing her sister's hand from the fake hair. "Lemme do it."

"O-Okay…" _I don't know how Junko deals with having so much hair all the time… I mean, it's a hindrance as it always gets in the way, and taking care of it seems like a pain… I'm satisfied with my good old short hair… it's more practical on the battlefield, and it doesn't take me hours to do every morning… Well, Junko's a fashionista, and contrary to me, she's pretty…_

The blonde manipulated the wig like a pro, and a couple of seconds later, it was fixated on her sister's head and over her natural short black hair.

"You know you'll have to do this every morning without my help, right?" Junko reminded her as she took half of the fake hair and began tying it. "I know you're kind of a dumbass without me, but you should be able to do _that_ properly… I swear, if you can't do it right during the game, I'll just have Monokuma execute you."

"N-No, I'll manage, don't worry…" Mukuro assured her, though a little shiver went down her spine at the thought. Who knew what kind of punishment her sister could come up with to make her suffer and find some despair. _I won't entirely look like Junko… but I need to fool them enough that they can't tell us apart… Luckily, with two years of their memories gone, it might be easier…_

The fashionista seemed to doubt her words but nodded nonetheless. She finished clipping the pigtails in her sister's wig before shaking her head, almost with disgust. "Ugh, you really are hopelessly ugly, Muku… I mean, it's better now that you look a bit more like me, but still… Hey, by the way… if anyone during the game asks you why you don't exactly look like I do, you tell them that's because the magazines use photoshop, got it? It will ruin my image, but there are sacrifices I have to make."

"O-Okay…" _I need to remember that… It's true that I'm not a perfect copy of Junko, even like this…_ The soldier sighed. _Why couldn't we have been exact twins…?_

"Well, that'll be good enough, I guess…" she said, taking one last look at her disguised sister and decided she was looking enough like her. "I'll go change for the party. Do the same, okay?" Junko ordered, turning to the bathroom. "And I advise you to make yourself pretty for the luck boy!"

Mukuro nodded in understanding, removing the wig and getting undressed. She had picked some clothes from the warehouse that looked a bit less… unfriendly than her soldier attire, let's just say. It wasn't anything extravagant either, but maybe, just maybe, she would look a little better than she usually did this way.

Quite notably, she had made her choice herself and had not asked Junko for any assistance. She knew it was a risk because Mukuro didn't have any knowledge of fashion… but on the other hand, she didn't care enough to develop one. And as her sister had reminded her, the only person whose opinion on her appearance she cared for was Makoto's. If anything, Junko's insults were more of a routine than anything by now. They broke the monotony of her most recent depression, in a way.

Because yes, Mukuro had gone through a time of depression. As the date for the start of the Killing Game grew nearer, the soldier began to have doubts. Was it the right thing to do? What would Makoto think if he knew what she had done? And what about the near two years she had spent with the other students of Class 78th? She didn't want that to disappear, but she knew it would be a necessary evil if she went through with her sister's plans.

But as always, Junko had convinced her. Reminded her that if her plans worked correctly, then she'd be really proud of her big sister. That she'd get a chance to date Makoto and get him out of that demon's grip. This decided it for Mukuro. _Nothing_ was worth her sister's trust and pride, and the soldier would do whatever she needed to so she'd gain that.

 _No need to think about it more… These weren't funny days, but it's behind me now… Come on, Mukuro, get dressed…_ She thought, sighing once again as she took hold of the black skirt she had chosen. Once this was on, she continued with a light grey blouse she had found pretty, and after that, the soldier allowed herself to look in the mirror.

She still had the make-up Junko had used so she'd look more like her… but Mukuro didn't find it so bad, actually! The Ultimate Soldier didn't think she had once looked as good as she did right now during the whole year! Her new clothes fit her perfectly, and the colors went well together. Besides, the foundation and eye-liner Junko had used were a little too over-the-top for her but not bad-looking in any way.

_If only Makoto could think that… but Kyoko looks far better than I do, so he probably won't even care… And even if he did, it doesn't change anything…_

In the past few months, Mukuro had learned to accept that she wouldn't see the Luckster and his Ultimate Detective girlfriend break up any time soon. On the contrary, they were growing closer and closer every day. But, as Junko had told her, she bid her time and waited for the moment she'd get another shot. When that moment came, Mukuro knew she'd have a better chance at having Makoto like her than before. But for now, the soldier endured it, even if seeing her crush and his girlfriend kiss from time to time made her feel a despair Junko would be jealous of.

Mukuro went back to the bed and put on her shoes, a pair of more gracious sneakers than what she usually wore, though not boots. She actually didn't like boots much because of the lack of balance they came with. Although, Mukuro was perfectly aware her Junko impersonation required her to wear some.

Now completely dressed, Mukuro waited for her sister to come out of the bathroom. She knew it would take much more time for the Ultimate Fashionista to prepare, simply because she was the Ultimate Fashionista. Perhaps this was a cover for her true talents as a genius analyst and despair-addict, but Junko prided herself on her beauty and did her best to look as attractive as she could - and both girls knew the boys couldn't resist her.

 _Even if the only boy Junko truly loved paid the ultimate price for it…_ Mukuro didn't care much for Yasuke Matsuda, even when he and her sister had been dating, but she knew his death had brought Junko a lot of despair. _Loving Junko… I know it's dangerous, but I wouldn't be here if not for Junko… so I need to keep going for her because she's my sister, and I love her…_

When the door opened; and Junko stepped out, Mukuro gaped in surprise. Her twin stood before her, dressed in a long red and sleeveless dress, which made her look regal, majestic. While the soldier had chosen to remain humble with her clothing, this was clearly not her sister's case. Mukuro had to admit she was pretty jealous of Junko's prettiness right now. She looked at her with impressed eyes.

"Haha, you peasant wasn't ready for us to be so good-looking, were you?" the blonde rhetorically asked, looking down on her sister. "No, but seriously, me being hot is as natural as the world being in despair now."

 _She's not wrong…_ Mukuro thought, smiling warmly at her sister. _It's no surprise she is the Ultimate Fashionista… I wonder how easier things would have been for me if I had been as pretty as she is…? Guess I'll never know…_ These were thoughts she didn't like to entertain for too long.

"And right now… Hm, how do I put this…" Junko seemed genuinely hesitant as she looked for her words. It made the soldier curious. "Well, you don't look so bad, Muku! That skirt is perfect for you! And wearing simple shoes was definitely the right choice! Expensive-looking clothes wouldn't fit you, anyway. Good job, Muku!"

Mukuro's eyes widened in shock as she processed the blonde's compliments. She waited for the punchline to come… but it never did. Instead, she noticed Junko's smile… a smile as genuine as she had ever seen coming from her sister. She didn't know the why. She didn't know the how. But she didn't truly care.

At this moment, a rare tear formed under each of her grey eyes, making them shine with happiness as she leaped in her sister's arms without even thinking about it.

"T-Thank you, J-Junko!" she exclaimed, hugging her twin closely, making her wince. She sobbed against Junko's shoulder and felt a hand stroke her back in a comforting gesture. "T-Thank you so much, s-sis…" _I'm so glad you're here for me…_

"Don't get used to it." the fashionista replied flatly, but she didn't pull away. Her next words sounded more hesitant, though well-thought. "A-Anyway, we should go. Being late to the party would be suspicious. And we don't wanna be suspicious, especially now."

"A-Alright…" Mukuro said, reluctantly pulling away from her sister's rare tender embrace. "R-Right behind you, Junko." _I don't deserve her… I really don't…_ She thought with an overjoyed smile.

"Then let's go." Junko snickered as she opened the door, saying, "I hope they enjoy this party… because it may very well be their last, puhuhuhu…"

* * *

Mukuro didn't even want to know what her sister was currently doing in the bathroom that justified such loud noises of pleasure. Well, "didn't want to imagine it" would be a better way to put it because she _exactly_ knew what Junko was doing. After all, the Headmaster had given each of the girls in the class a "package" of sorts. It was meant for those who wanted to spend the last night of the year with someone, so it wasn't really Mukuro's case. The Ultimate Fashionista had apparently decided to make the best of it, although alone.

The party had gone well, all things considered, even if interacting with the Ultimate Detective was something Mukuro knew she would never get used to - nor did she want to. If anything, she was looking forward to kidnapping her for the Killing Game tomorrow to get this over with. The soldier was as physically ready as ever, so she knew she was prepared for everything Kyoko would throw at her. And, in a way, Mukuro was looking forward to it. Battling against someone as well-versed in martial arts as Kyoko promised to be interesting, even if she would have to stay focused. If she didn't, her enemy wouldn't hesitate to strike, and this wasn't something Mukuro could let her do.

It would mean betraying Junko's trust, and she couldn't do that.

 _Sakura will be something else, though… I'll need Junko's help to get her because she's a tad too strong for me to fight without a weapon…_ The girl admitted, knowing the Ultimate Martial Artist was not aiming to become the World's Strongest Human for nothing. _And at least… it'll settle the score between Kyoko and me, once and for all._

Mukuro's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening and her sister coming out of the bathroom ready to tap out. It made the soldier giggle a bit, though she kept it silent.

"Geez, despair will never be outmatched, but that thingie is not so bad either!" Junko proclaimed, holding out said 'thingie' in the air, pretty proudly. "The despair I'll feel tomorrow when they'll all be encaged, unable to defend themselves… to think that it'll be even better than that… I can already feel it!"

"Y-Yeah… I-I'll do my best to help you, Junko." Mukuro assured her, looking at her sister from under her blankets and seeing her smile maniacally.

"Is it a promise, Muku?" the blonde asked her with her cutest expression.

"I swear, Junko."

"Even if Makoto asks you not to go through with it?"

"I promise, Junko. I've… done too much to stop now, anyway."

The Mastermind nodded in understanding before going to her own bed, her expression unreadable. Mukuro couldn't even begin to guess what her sister was currently thinking. It probably was related to despair or the Killing Game, but she didn't know more than that.

"Well, I need to catch some sleep if I wanna be well-rested when we pay a friendly visit to our dear Headmaster for his ride to space. Good night, Muku!" Junko said as she lay down on her bed. Her voice was the same as usual, but there was something slightly off about her.

Mukuro dismissed it, thinking her high just a few moments before was the cause.

The soldier replied, smiling, with a kind, "Yes, you too, Junko. Tomorrow… you'll show the world just in how much despair you'll be plunging it. And I'll be by your side, forever." _Forever._

There was a moment of silence. At first, Mukuro thought her twin had already fallen asleep. However… the Ultimate Fashionista's next words left a bad taste in her mouth, a sort of bad omen.

"The world I'll be plunging to despair, Muku… will be _mine_."

And with these mysterious words, she turned off the light, leaving a confused Mukuro to drift off to sleep herself before a crucial day when the fate of the world would be decided in a clash of hope and despair.

_**To be continued…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has two possible interpretations, or at least, there are two intended interpretations. That's actually why this chapter might seem a bit "weird" at times, and why neither Junko nor Mukuro are really in-character. It doesn't change anything to the story I'm telling, but you might have a different interpretation of what happened depending on how you consider Junko and Mukuro's canon relationship. I won't say more because giving my own opinion might sway some people. This chapter was difficult for me to write - in the sense that Junko is a really complex character. If there are some fellow writers who have already written her in their stories, you know what I'm talking about. I hope it was a satisfying second to last chapter, anyway. The last chapter should be a bit longer than this one, and it'll be different from all the others!
> 
> Until then, please leave a comment to tell me what you thought, and I hope you all have a good day! :)


	9. My Crush of Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A second chance to restore the balance between hope and despair...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! This is the ninth and final chapter to this side story focused on Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier! It takes place during Chapter Sixteen of The Academy of Hope. It's quite a lot longer than all the previous chapters, but I hope you'll enjoy it anyway.

** _Chapter Nine:_ _My Crush of Hope_ **

Mukuro stared at the scene with incredulous eyes. The sight in front of her just didn't make any sense. It would have seemed unreal if she didn't see it with her own eyes. The soldier would have thought it wasn't happening if her boots weren't covered in that pink liquid of death. At that moment, Mukuro Ikusaba understood something.

Amidst all that despair, all that chaos, all that betrayal… she had _won_.

There were no clearer victories. There were no triumphs just like this one. There had never been nor would there ever be another sight just like this. There had never been so much despair and so much hope. Mukuro realized she had not moved in five minutes.

Why? Because there had never been a knife in Kyoko Kirigiri's stomach before. And in everything the world had known or would know, there had never been Makoto Naegi holding the bloody blade which had cut the girl's life short.

The disguised Ultimate Soldier felt her heart skip a beat as her eyes met Makoto's hazel. She heard the sound of the weapon hitting the floor, a sound that reverberated in Mukuro's ears like a lullaby of despair. Her eyes drifted elsewhere.

Blood. There was blood everywhere. It was pink, almost lavender. Mukuro couldn't even think of how ironic it was. Before she knew what she was doing, she spat. It felt good. She did it again. And again. Makoto stood motionless over the corpse. Mukuro looked at it with unimpressed eyes, grabbing the deceased detective by the collar.

Her violet eyes were still open, but they were devoid of everything. The life Mukuro had once seen in them was gone. No love, no passion, no warmth, no feelings. Not even coldness. Pure emptiness. It made the soldier question whether there had ever been anything in them in the first place.

She looked at Makoto again. He still didn't move. Mukuro tossed Kyoko's body where it lay before, eying it with high contempt. She didn't know what to think. It seemed so untrue, so impossible, yet so real. She'd seen her fair share of dead bodies in her life. She had sent to the other world more people than many could say they had. But right there and then, Mukuro was puzzled. What was she supposed to feel? Relief? Joy? Guilt? Disgust? Accomplishment? Hope? Despair? Was she even supposed to feel anything?

Another sound echoed through the room. It was a sob.

Mukuro turned around and noticed the Ultimate Lucky Student crying. Before long, he miserably fell to his knees in the pool of blood, staining his clothes, while the soldier observed the scene. It lasted for some time. It could have been a minute. Perhaps it had been an hour. For Mukuro, it felt like a lifetime.

She knew why he was crying. And cruelly, she knew just how right he was to do so. In another life, pink was the color she knew he loved, even when he himself didn't know it. However, in the one he was living in, pink would forever remain as the bloody color staining his hands. Mukuro knew he might have just stabbed his own heart.

There was a glance towards the camera. A split-second was all the time Mukuro allowed herself to watch it for, knowing that the world had seen what she had seen. Regret almost invaded her mind when she thought back to all the lives she had taken. What was human life worth? Mukuro knew it certainly wasn't worth her feelings.

She placed her hand on the boy's shoulder. He didn't react. She shook a bit, trying to earn a reaction, whatever it was. After a time that seemed like forever, Mukuro got a weak nod of response.

"We need to go."

* * *

The only sound in the room was that of Makoto's pitiful snoring. The boy lay on her bed, and Mukuro noticed in the air that his slumber was anything but peaceful. There was an unsettling atmosphere in the room, a form of tension that threatened to take over the lucky boy at any moment. The soldier stood still, looking over the boy she loved with extreme attention.

A question ran through her mind, and she realized it was an important one she'd have to find an answer to.

_What now?_

Revenge was a dish best served cold, and Mukuro knew it. She didn't feel regret, although there had been hesitation at every turn. This was not a path she wanted to take, but the past couldn't be changed. It had never been, and never would be.

Regretting her actions now would be pointless. She had before, and she now realized how futile it was. Her aim was towards the future now. A near future, in fact, the day after that bloody night. Mukuro could still see it: the blood, the look of betrayal in Kyoko's eyes, the words the detective would have liked to add but didn't have the strength to mutter.

The soldier could care less what her former enemy thought. What mattered to her was that what she thought didn't really matter. The facts were clear, and Mukuro hated that her selfishness had put blood on such innocent hands. It seemed the right thing to do, and in hindsight, it still was.

But still, as she looked over Makoto's sleeping form, the Ultimate Soldier in disguise couldn't help but think back to all these moments that she had the privilege of recalling. Memories only got you so far, and Mukuro knew the cruelty of taking them away. When she blinked, she could see Kyoko taunting her.

" _Don't ever get into your head that he could like you."_

She clenched her fist. Even now, that devil was there to haunt her. She probably would for the rest of eternity, and Mukuro already despised it. After all, she had caused the amnesiac detective's doom herself, whether she wanted it or not. Jealousy had driven her to an extreme she didn't even think of reaching. Just thinking back to seeing that knife in Kyoko's stomach made her shiver in an unhealthy mix of joy and disgust.

Things would be simple now, and it was almost unfair to all the others. For the first time in her life, Mukuro had an advantage, and she had made the best of it. Soon enough, Makoto would be hers, and she'd be able to walk on Kyoko's grave with an arrogant grin on her face. Physically, the Ultimate Detective was dead as a doornail, but Mukuro still had to obliterate her soul. Whatever remained of Kyoko Kirigiri in the world needed to disappear.

Mukuro would banish all thoughts of that disgustingly pretty, arrogantly intelligent, and despairingly exceptional girl from Makoto's mind, even if she needed to pay the price for it.

After all, she had accomplished too much already to stop there. The soldier had gone way beyond her own expectations, but she'd fulfill her ambitions until she was wholly satisfied.

"She never existed, Makoto. This is for the best."

* * *

Unity was no more among the remaining students. They each kept their distances, and suspicious looks were now the norm among the group. Every time someone moved, they were closely eyed by their classmates to ensure they didn't have any bad intentions.

It was tense, and Mukuro knew another murder was bound to happen, and probably sooner than later. They were only seven remaining, Junko notwithstanding, and for the soldier, this was the endgame. Whoever made a move now had the highest chance of getting out of the game unscathed - at least physically.

Because they were all mentally exhausted. Mukuro noticed just how much this constant defiance tired out her former classmates, especially the poor Makoto. As she had expected, he had tried to bring harmony to the group, but his pleas had fallen on deaf ears. The soldier had been the only one to listen to him, with the advantage of knowing where the Luckster's hope could lead them.

So far, four murders had happened. On the second day, a horrified Hiro tried to kill Taka, but the Ultimate Moral Compass ended up dealing an accidental killing blow to the Ultimate Clairvoyant. Monokuma didn't care for self-defense, and the former Class Representative was executed.

Not even a week after, a fight broke out between Aoi and Toko after the Ultimate Writing Prodigy had the misfortune of mocking the Ultimate Swimming Pro one time too many. The swimmer died from a scissors wound a few minutes afterward. The novelist and her murderous split personality received a sentence everyone considered fair.

Mondo snapped next when Monokuma revealed everyone's secrets. In a desperate attempt to save his own skin, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader went after Hifumi, whose physical inaptitude didn't allow him to put up much of a fight. However, multiple pieces of evidence were found to incriminate the biker, leading him to a torturous death at the hands of Monokuma.

Finally, the last murder had happened the day prior. An enormous sum of money had been offered by the bear to whoever would fool their classmates and opponents. Celeste tried to jump onto the occasion, and Sayaka would have been the unfortunate victim of her schemes if her plans had not been foiled by an argument between Leon and Byakuya interrupting her. In the end, the Ultimate Baseball Star found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and paid the price. The Class Trial didn't last more than five minutes.

And for those who were still alive, to say they might not have been wouldn't be an understatement. Sakura had not been the same since Aoi's death. Sayaka felt guilty for what had happened to Leon. Chihiro felt targeted due to her weak physique. Byakuya's waltz with death had led him to distrust everyone even more than before.

As for Kyoko, she looked sane on the outside, but Mukuro knew it was a façade. No one could be as calm as she claimed to be in this situation. Makoto was the opposite: he looked terrified, struggling. The Ultimate Soldier knew how tough it must have been for him. He was being forced to distrust everyone when his nature made him open up to others naturally.

On her hand, Mukuro bid her time, waiting for the right moment to accomplish her goal. She knew Kyoko wouldn't murder anyone, especially since Junko couldn't come up with a good motive against her - the Ultimate Detective's memories being even more suppressed than her classmates'. So she'd need to do the deed herself and not get caught in the Class Trial. It seemed doable, considering the detective had pretty much solved the cases herself in the past - so with her out of the equation, it wasn't impossible to fool everyone. Byakuya was smart, but he was too self-centered, and Mukuro knew exploiting this would be easy as pie.

But this left a flaw in her plans, and it had a name: Makoto Naegi. The soldier's sole purpose in the game was simple: taking revenge on Kyoko Kirigiri and be the one to protect Makoto always. This way, she would show him how much he meant to her, and hopefully, this time, it would be mutual.

Of course, winning the Class Trial meant Makoto would get executed. The mere thought made Mukuro want to vomit, even if she knew Junko would love it. So she tried to find a way around this issue.

Someone walked up to her. Reflexes made her reach out for a knife. However, disguised as her sister, it wasn't there. Luckily, Mukuro soon realized she wouldn't need it.

"Hi, Junko." Makoto greeted her without much spirit. "Can we talk for a second?"

"O-Oh, Makoto! S-Sure!" she replied, trying to hide her surprise while remaining in-character. "Whacha wanted to talk about?" _It's surprising he even went to talk to me… Everyone's so suspicious of everyone else these last few days…_

The lucky student sat down at the table Mukuro was sitting at, trying to appear relaxed even if it was clear he was anxious. The soldier couldn't blame him.

"Y-You see…" he began, fidgeting with his hoodie in nervousness. "I think you're the only one who truly believes that we could all stick together if we really wanted to get past our suspicion of each other, though… I… I know just how tense everyone is right now. And…" the boy sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I think I'm next, Junko."

Mukuro's expression turned more serious, closer to her genuine way of showing emotions than what her impersonation required. This was the most evident tell that she wasn't who she claimed to be, but no one had ever caught her. If someone did, they might be able to trace her back to the real Junko being the Mastermind, and this wasn't something Mukuro would allow.

"And what makes you say that?" she asked, looking at her secret crush in the eyes and trying to judge the panic in them. "Aren't you just a little paranoid? Maybe shaken up by what happened yesterday?"

"N-No… I… I feel like someone is gonna go for me…" Makoto repeated, glancing around. "I-I'm not strong physically, so I'm an easy target… B-But I don't wanna die, Junko! I can't die before we get out of here!"

"I see…" _He's panicking… Before, he used to have Kyoko by his side, but now that she forgot about their time together, she doesn't care for him… I need to be there now that he needs it! That's my chance!_ "And what can I do to help?"

She tried to sound as reassuring as she could, and the small smile on the Ultimate Lucky Student's face told her this was working. It wasn't a broad smile like those she used to see before he lost his memory, but she'd take what she could get.

At least, it seemed genuine.

"W-Well… S-Since you seem pretty strong…" he paused, hesitating for a second. "I-I was wondering if you would p-protect me, at least until things get better…"

The Ultimate Soldier's eyes widened for a short moment before Mukuro recomposed. Makoto had almost whispered his last words, but there was a sense of urgency in them that broke the girl's heart. He looked so weak, so frail… He was nothing like the energetic Makoto Naegi she had grown to love.

But that didn't mean she wouldn't protect him.

"Okay." she quickly agreed, nodding clearly. "I'll do it."

The hazel-eyed short boy didn't seem to believe it at first. "R-Really? Y-You'd do that for me, Junko?!"

He got a little too overexcited, so Mukuro had to shush him. "N-Not so loud!" she ordered, knowing this would sound suspicious. "G-Geez, don't do that! Yeah, I'll protect you, but stop panicking like this!"

Mukuro didn't like bossing Makoto around like this, but he was getting careless. If he really wanted to never wake up, this was the way to go. Luckily, no one seemed to really notice. Chihiro was still typing on the old computer they had found in the library, Kyoko was still standing near the entrance, Byakuya was still drinking his coffee, and the others were still not in the Dining Hall.

"T-Thank you, Junko! Y-You're a lifesaver!" he gratefully said, making Mukuro smile more than the situation called for. "P-Please don't betray me, though… You're the only one who seems to really believe we can make it out of this, so…"

"Don't worry." the fake fashionista assured him, knowing that Makoto was someone who relied heavily on trust. "I swear I won't betray you, Makoto. And as long as you don't do anything reckless like shouting like you almost did just now, I promise you'll be fine."

The boy's eyes shined with a glimmer of hope Mukuro had not seen in a while. And even if it seemed distant, the feeling of joy upon seeing it was still the same.

"Okay, thank you again, Junko!"

"You're welcome. Now, you come and knock on my door if you ever need it, alright?" Mukuro asked him, not forcefully, but with conviction. "And don't open your door unless you know for sure it's me or someone you can trust, okay?"

He nodded.

"Good. Well," the girl stood up, tucking a strand of her fake blonde hair behind her ear. "I'll go back to my room. You should follow me, Makoto." _Even if this might look suspicious, Makoto's safety comes first…_

Makoto nodded again and followed Mukuro out of the Dining Hall. Chihiro and Byakuya both observed them as they did, but neither seemed to worry more than before. Maybe they couldn't, Mukuro wondered.

However, when the soldier opened the door and was about to step out, her eyes met Kyoko's. It only lasted for a short moment, not even a second, but Mukuro had a weird feeling. The Ultimate Detective had smirked at her, looking way more confident than she should have.

Shaking off the strange sensation, the soldier stepped out with her crush in tow before closing the door behind her and heading for the dorms. Once they reached Makoto's door and the lucky student was safely inside, Mukuro went back to her own room, unable to think of anything else than that confident, almost arrogant look in Kyoko's eyes…

_I'm not overthinking it… That bitch is up to something…_

* * *

Mukuro swiped off the sweat off of her forehead as she wrapped up her final push-up. She continued training when she had some free time, knowing a fight could happen at any moment now. Besides, it was a moment she could use for relaxation, not wearing that disguise she wasn't entirely comfortable with.

In a fight, Byakuya, Chihiro, and Sayaka would be no big deal, and in her depressed state, Sakura seemed beatable, so the girl wasn't too worried about them.

In truth, there was one sole reason the soldier needed to keep on training. There was only one person who could be a threat to her, and it obviously was Kyoko. Her memories were gone, but she was still the Ultimate Detective at heart, and Mukuro knew she needed to be taken care of as soon as possible.

And with what had happened when she and Makoto left the Dining Hall earlier, it made it even more urgent.

_W-Wait, Makoto… F-Fuck, I forgot to check up on him!_ Running towards her e-handbook to see the map, Mukuro panicked when she found Makoto's icon in his room… next to Kyoko's. _What the fuck are they doing together?! I told him not to open to anyone besides me or… someone he'd… trust… FUCK!_

Swiftly taking a knife from her closet and not bothering putting on her disguise, Mukuro dashed out of the room towards Makoto's, even leaving her door slightly ajar. Junko would be furious - and rightfully so - but she didn't have time to think about it. Had it been a month before, the only thing Mukuro would have trusted Kyoko for was ensuring Makoto's safety. Now, nothing could be more uncertain.

Fortunately for Mukuro, the boy's room was really close, so she was there in a second. No one was in sight in the hallways either, most likely already asleep, even if the nighttime announcement had not played yet. There was a lot of stress for everyone - Mukuro included - and it could really tire one out. The soldier was not surprised they needed rest. Besides, being locked in your room meant that you'd live another day.

Holding onto her knife extra tightly, the girl pushed open the door to the Luckster's room, knowing it would ruin her disguise but not really caring about it. Now that she had made it this far, someone would need to die tonight.

It would either be her. Or it would be Kyoko.

"She isn't who you think she is, Makoto!"

Mukuro wouldn't let it be Makoto.

"Leave Makoto alone, you bitch!" Mukuro shouted, plunging at the detective with her knife.

Startled, Kyoko took a step back, barely avoiding the attack. The soldier went after her again.

"What the hell's happening?!" Makoto exclaimed, unable to move with how crazy things had gotten. Mukuro got a sense that something similar had already happened in another life but didn't question it. "W-Who are you?!"

These words made Mukuro stop on her tracks, giving the Ultimate Detective a moment to get into a better stance. And that's when it hit her.

_Fuck! Makoto doesn't have a clue who I am like this!_ The girl looked at the Ultimate Lucky Student, who shivered in fear, while Kyoko seemed unimpressed, though shaken up.

"I see… I think I can actually answer that." Kyoko interrupted, glaring with hatred at Mukuro. "Or perhaps you'd like to introduce yourself to us… Ultimate Soldier…?"

Mukuro's body tensed. These were not words she ever expected to hear again. She clenched her fists, clueless as to how anyone had been able to figure out her identity.

"W-What…? U-Ultimate… Soldier…?" the boy weakly uttered, taking a step back for his own safety. "B-But…"

"Mukuro Ikusaba. The sixteenth student, lying hidden somewhere in this school," the lavender-haired girl continued, keeping a watchful eye on her new opponent who stood there, baffled. "I was about to suggest you watch out for her, but I didn't get the chance."

"M-Mukuro… I-Ikusaba…? A s-sixteenth student…?"

"H-How… How do you know who I am, you fucking bitch?!" the soldier shouted angrily, jumping at the detective. "Why don't you fucking die, goddamnit?!" _Just die and give me some peace, for God's sake!_

Kyoko's focus returned as she dodged Mukuro's attack by not more than an inch. A kick from her caught Mukuro by surprise and forced her to drop her knife.

"F-Fuck…" she cursed, now weaponless. _I guess I'm taking her in hand-on-hand combat now…_

"The second-floor bathroom," Kyoko replied as they traded punches. "To be more precise… A file with your name in it. You're not Junko Enoshima, are you?"

"What?! J-Junko…?" Makoto exclaimed in surprise as the two girls continued to fight. "T-That person's… JUNKO?!"

The black-haired girl leaped back, avoiding the very end of Kyoko's high heeled kick. Taking deep breaths, she was about to plunge at her arch-enemy once more when something caught her eye.

"S-STOP!" the Ultimate Lucky Student ordered, placing himself in-between the two fighters… with the knife in hand! "D-Don't move! I-If…" his voice wavered as he handled the weapon with shaky hands. "I-If one of you makes a move, I'll stab myself!"

He held the tip of the knife against his throat. At this moment, Mukuro realized the Makoto she used to know had been buried so deep, he wasn't the same boy. There used to be so much hope in his eyes, now there was doubt, and deep down, the soldier saw that he didn't mind death.

It was the easy way out. It seemed to be the only one he had found to fight the despair, trying to break whatever remained of his hope. Avoiding it seemed like a good enough plan, but Mukuro wouldn't let him go down that path. Not after everything he'd done for her, even if he couldn't remember it.

"D-Don't do that, Makoto!" she urged, her voice coming out as filled with panic as ever. "I-I won't move, o-okay… B-But… don't do that…"

"Do not do anything reckless with that knife, Makoto," Kyoko advised, trying to take a step forward, her hands in the air as a sign she didn't want to hurt him. "Give it to me, and everything will be fine."

"N-No! Someone will die if I give it to you!" the boy refused, his hands getting a firmer grip on the weapon. "N-Now, take a step back, Kyoko!"

Hesitant to comply, the detective remained frozen in place for a moment. It seemed to fill the Luckster with anxiety.

"Do what he fucking told you, Kirigiri!" Mukuro ordered, pointing her finger. "I swear… if you take Makoto away from me again… I'll destroy you, Kirigiri!"

Kyoko's eyes narrowed on the soldier as she did as Makoto had asked and retreated. " _Again_? What do you mean, again?"

_F-Fucking slip-up!_ Feeling her own nervousness as she tried to speak, Mukuro's anger didn't recede. "It doesn't matter! The only thing I want now is for you to get the hell outta here! I'm the only one who can protect Makoto!"

"You're the last person who can say this!" the detective retorted, herself pointing her finger accusingly at the soldier and hidden student. "What was your plan, being hidden like this? You are working with Monokuma, aren't you? You only came here to hurt Makoto, didn't you?"

"N-No! Never! I… I would never hurt Makoto!" Mukuro argued, barely restraining the urge to go or Kyoko's throat and strangle her. It would probably feel really satisfying, but with Makoto threatening to kill himself, she couldn't do it. "I've been the only one to protect him! The only one who believed in what he said! Meanwhile, you've been ignoring him, you fucking piece of trash!"

"S-So you're really… Y-You're Junko…?" Makoto asked weakly, looking at the soldier with disbelief written all over his face. "B-But why…? W-Why did you hide your- a-aaah!"

"MAKOTO!" she shouted as Kyoko rushed towards the boy and began struggling for the knife. Mukuro was unable to move.

"K-Kyoko! S-Stop!" he exclaimed, trying to keep the weapon. Quickly, he managed, with a bit of luck, to get away from her. "Y-You wanted to kill me, d-didn't you Kyoko! YOU WANTED ME DEAD! TRAITOR!"

As he said that, Mukuro felt a pleasant feeling in her chest. These were words she had wanted her secret crush to tell the Ultimate Detective for months now, and they came as a liberation.

"N-No! I just wanted to make sure you didn't harm yourself!" the purple-eyed girl defended herself, stuttering for the first time since the beginning of the game. "I d-don't want to hurt you Makoto, I s-swear!"

"NO! YOU LIE!" he exclaimed, holding the blade threateningly in the air in Kyoko's direction. "Junko's been the only one to care about what I do in this horrible game! You just want to kill me, Kyoko!"

Suddenly, a lightbulb appeared over Mukuro's head. _That's it!_ "Yes, Makoto! She wants you dead, and the reason I didn't reveal who I really am was so that she wouldn't hurt you! She wants to kill you and use her deductive skills to escape this place! You can't let her!"

"WHAT?! W-What the hell?!" Kyoko swore, her eyes showing the tiniest bit of fear. "Y-You're not going to trust her, Makoto?! She's a shady girl who h-hid her talent! Surely you wouldn't fall for that!"

"SHUT UP! Y-YOU… Y-YOU WANTED TO KILL ME!"

At this moment, Mukuro saw something familiar in Makoto's eyes. It had been in the eyes of the students of Class 77-B when their beloved Class Representative had been executed… It had been in the eyes of the Student Council when they were forced into their own killing game…

It was in Junko's eyes whenever she got that weird form of pleasure Mukuro never really understood. A force that could drive you to an extreme you would never reach on your own. The opposite of hope, which guided you when there weren't any escape routes.

Despair.

Mukuro stood there as the last bit of Makoto's self-control disappeared as he lunged at his former love and caught her by surprise. Kyoko didn't get a chance to react, and upon the knife's entry into her body, her energy quickly left her.

The Ultimate Soldier was unable to determine whether or not this was really happening. And she made no move to stop what was happening.

After all, why would she? What sweeter revenge than to see her most hated enemy die at the hands of her former and forgotten love? This was probably messed-up, but they were in a Killing Game, right? What wasn't messed-up in a Killing Game?

"M-Makoto… D-Don't forget… who you really are…"

*THUMP*

With an unceremonial sound, the Ultimate Detective dropped dead to the floor of the lucky student's room, leaving only mysterious words to the one Mukuro knew the detective had loved as much as she did.

_T-This… This is better this way, Mukuro…_

* * *

Makoto struggled to get up. Mukuro sat next to him, hoping he would soon get out of his mute state. Ever since he had woken up, he had not said a word, even when the soldier tried to reach out to him.

He had slept in her room for obvious reasons, but he seemed as tired as he was the night before. Mukuro couldn't blame him and didn't.

"Makoto…? Please talk to me," she asked for the umpteenth time. "I know this must be tough, but you need to talk to me."

"You're not Junko, are you?"

"H-Huh?" _D-Did he…_ "W-What did you say, Makoto?"

"You aren't really Junko… right?" the boy muttered, barely audibly. "Kyoko said that yesterday. Something about you being an Ultimate Soldier. I-I think she said that… b-before I murdered her…"

A tear rolled down his cheek in guilt as they were both forced to think back to that bloody incident. Mukuro could see just how down he was at the thought of it, and she understood why. The Ultimate Lucky Student was a pacifist at heart, and despair had driven him to do something he would never have done had he been sane.

_That's not your fault, Makoto…_ The girl thought, taking pity on her crush. "This is a long story, Makoto…" _And one I can't tell you…_ "It's true that I'm not Junko, but I'm the girl you've known as her since the beginning of the game. And every moment we spent together was genuine, Makoto, believe me. B-But… I had my reasons for being disguised. Whatever happens now, I'll continue to protect you, even if it costs me my life."

There seemed to be the faintest trace of hope in Makoto's eyes as she promised him that. She placed her hand on his as she spoke her next words.

"But you need to get rid of that guilt, and we must plan your future, Makoto. In a few hours, you will be the blackened in Kyoko's trial, and under no circumstances will I allow you to be executed. _None_."

Her last word was spoken with such conviction, it seemed to shake the boy at his very core. He looked at the soldier with a fond expression that made Mukuro's heart melt with love.

"T-Thank you… It means the world to me, Jun-, Mukuro." he corrected himself, and the girl wanted nothing less than hug him as tight as she could right now. "B-But you'll be executed if I win the Class Trial, right? And all the others, too… I don't wanna be responsible for the death of my friends… I… I've seen enough deaths to last an entire life, honestly…"

"I know this, Makoto, believe me," she smiled at him, showing the boy a side of hers he had never seen before. Or at least, one he couldn't remember ever seeing. "But you matter more than I do. Your hope means more than anything, Makoto. Whatever is outside this place… it'll need your hope, even if you think it is wavering. I _believe_ in you, Makoto, so you have to make it through this Class Trial, even if it is painful. You'll only be stronger as a result."

"M-Mukuro…" speechless, the Ultimate Lucky Student stared into Mukuro's eyes with admiration. Under the layer of foundation on her cheeks still, the soldier blushed. "Thank you. I'll do my best, and whatever happens, I'll always be glad to have met you, Mukuro. Even if you weren't Junko, I know you're still the person who believed in me when no one did. You're a good person, Mukuro, and I trust you."

The short-haired girl blushed much more visibly, making the boy giggle sweetly. Ah, how she had missed the sweet sound of Makoto's giggles… It always motivated the soldier, and now was no exception.

"I've already cleaned your room and moved Kyoko's body back in hers using her keys. They won't suspect anything if they decide to investigate your room." Mukuro explained, regaining her seriousness in an instant. They had an important battle to fight, after all. "Besides, the others won't be in any mood to investigate, so we can use that as our advantage to win you the Class Trial. And with Kyoko out of the picture… it'll be child's play for you to come out on top and fool the others. And as for a perfect scapegoat…"

The two friends continued preparing for the upcoming investigation and trial for still some time, and the Ultimate Soldier was relieved to see that her secret crush was slowly but surely rebuilding himself. It would take time for him to heal completely, and he would probably never be the innocent Makoto she'd once known, but Mukuro would take what the situation gave her.

And if Junko was the Ultimate Despair that had built the girl's life, then Makoto's Ultimate Hope would be the ray of sunlight that would illuminate not only her… but the whole world.

_And I'll be there every step of the way, Makoto… Unlike she was._

* * *

"I didn't do it, you bunch of idiotic commoners! A Togami has better things to do than staining his hands with a commoner's blood!" Byakuya exclaimed, enraged. "How would I even access her room?!"

"You could have killed her in your room, then used her key to bring her to her own room." Sakura offered, though her voice showed some uncertainty. "I am not saying this is what happened, but it is a possibility."

"Yeah, that seems something this prick would do!" Sayaka argued, pointing her finger at the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, who grunted in response. "He hated Kyoko because she was more intelligent than he is!"

"Agreed." Mukuro, once again disguised as Junko, concurred with a nod. "You're the most likely suspect, Byakuya. Now, either you defend yourself, or I say we call it a day!" _This is "do or die" now… Well, for me, it's "do AND die," but that's not what matters…_

She cast a glance towards Makoto, who had gone mute over the last several minutes of argument. The soldier wished he would talk as to not seem suspicious, even if their plan was going smoothly.

Accusing the Togami heir had proven to be an excellent idea, as he was the perfect scapegoat for Kyoko's murder. He wanted to get out to return to his luxurious life (unaware that his family was already long gone), and as the Ultimate Pop Sensation had pointed it out, his ego could have led him to kill the detective.

Of course, it wasn't what had happened, but any explanation that was credible enough to pass as the truth would need to do. The luxury of choice wasn't something Mukuro had, after all.

"Grr… In what language do I need to tell you simpletons that I didn't do it?!" the blonde boy inquired, slamming his hands on his podium. "You wouldn't have caught me if I had really killed someone, you fools!"

"No, that's wrong!"

The whole class turned towards Makoto as he exclaimed his catchphrase, looking confident.

_Makoto… That self-confidence…_ The soldier thought, smiling fondly. _It means that you're about to create your own destiny… The one you deserve…_

"You could have killed Kyoko, Byakuya!" the lucky student exclaimed before explaining, "As Sayaka said, you had ample motive to do so, and you're the only one whose presence back at the dorms before nighttime wasn't confirmed! Of course, you could have been in the library as you claim, but you're the only one who could also have moved in-between the two rooms to murder Kyoko and move her body! Since there were no accomplices because of the blackened rule Monokuma set, it could only have been you!"

The Ultimate Affluent Progeny's anger intensified, but before he could object, Makoto carried on.

"Besides, Kyoko insisted she was able to defend herself just fine, so the only other person who could have hoped to take her in a fight was Sakura!" he paused, glancing at the Ultimate Martial Artist. "However, if Kyoko's body was dragged from the murderer's room to her own, this would have left too much blood to clean up! Hence, you must be the culprit!"

"N-No, you moron! Fine, let's say it couldn't have been weaklings like you, Sayaka, or Chihiro… But what about that fashionista over there?!"

"No, this couldn't have been Junko's doing, either." Makoto calmly objected. "Junko always wears her fashionista outfit, which wouldn't have allowed her to fight Kyoko. And as a fashionista, it seems really unlikely she would have had the confidence to fight against Kyoko! If she really wanted to kill someone, she would have gone after Chihiro, who, no offense, was an easier prey!"

"Yeah, Makoto's right." Mukuro agreed, impressed with Makoto's ability to lie. _Good going, Makoto!_

"That settles it, then!" Sayaka added, pointing at Byakuya. "You did it for sure! Hey Monokuma, we're ready to vote!"

"Oh, really?" the bear asked, his interest visibly piqued. "Well, if you're all ready, then I say we can let the vote begin! Make your selection with the lever in front of you. Who will be chosen as the blackened? Will you make the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one? What's it gonna be, what's it gonna be?!"

"W-Wait a minute! I said it wasn't me, you effing commoners! Do you really want to die this way?!" Byakuya asked as the others all nodded to each other and began to vote. "You might not be worth a Togami, but maybe you're smart enough to realize we don't get a second chance!"

"No, but I'm sure it was you!" the blue-haired idol rebutted. "And it's high time you finally get punished for your crimes! Serves you right!"

Mukuro saw Chihiro, Sakura, Sayaka, and Makoto cast their respective votes. The profile of her five classmates appeared on the screen. She took a deep breath.

_This is it… The moment I die…_ A small smile appeared on the girl's lips as her finger pressed on Byakuya's profile. _It will not be my first, but this will be the happiest mistake of my life… Makoto, I give my life to you. Maybe I won't get a chance to see the outside world with you again as I had dreamed, but…_

… _seeing you happy again, bringing hope to the world… this will satisfy me just as much. You don't need it, but good luck, Makoto…_

As the votes were all accounted for, a slot machine appeared in the courtroom. Mukuro knew whose face it would stop on, and she didn't precisely await her classmates' reaction. Most likely, they wouldn't be able to believe it. But it was the truth, and the soldier had decided to give her life to hide it.

When it stopped, the Monocoins didn't rain out of the machine as they usually did. Chihiro, Sayaka, and Sakura waited for a second, probably thinking there was a bug of some kind. After ten seconds, nothing had yet happened. Mukuro saw something in their expression change as they realized whose face had appeared on the machine and what it meant.

"N-No… No way…" the pop idol muttered, her eyes widening in shock. "I-It can't be…"

"Oh, that's beary wrong! Beary, beary wrong!" the bear boasted, his words making everyone realize that the truth was just as it appeared on the machine slot. "The blackened and Kyoko Kirigiri's killer wasn't Byakuya Togami, but Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student! And should I add that he was greatly assisted by everyone's favorite Ultimate Fashionista, too!"

"M-Makoto… Makoto did it…?" Chihiro weakly wondered, sobbing. "N-No…"

"M-Makoto… Tell me this isn't true, please!" Sayaka begged, running towards the boy who remained silent, his eyes closed. Mukuro knew he was crying. "PLEASE!"

"Hey, no running towards the blackened!" Monokuma warned, and an invisible wall popped up from under the floor, blocking Sayaka on her path. "But yeah. Makoto fooled all of you! And now… maybe our victorious blackened would like to say a few words before we get onto the interesting part, huh?"

The soldier walked to her friend - something Monokuma allowed - as he sobbed. Mukuro knew the consequences of his actions were finally dawning on him, but she knew it was too late to change things.

"It's okay, Makoto. You did what was right," she assured him, placing her hand on his cheek and rubbing the tears under his eyes with her thumb. "I know you're sad, but you'll get to live, Makoto! You're the one who deserves it most. Now, make it count, okay?"

Her words were spoken with incredible sweetness coming from her. The boy opened his eyes and wrapped his arms around the soldier's body, not wanting to let go.

"T-Thank you, M-Mukuro…" she could feel the sound of his heartbeat, the music she found the most soothing of all. It made the call of death a little less intimidating. "A-And… I-I promise I'll never forget you…!"

Mukuro smiled and stroked the boy's back in comfort. _It would probably be wise of you to forget me, given everything I've done to you… But if you want to remember me… then please remember me as who I am now, and not who I used to be…_

"Well, it looks like the blackened doesn't have any words for us right now!" the half-white, half-black bear said, getting everyone's attention. "It seems the guilt of Makoto's actions has rendered him mute! Well, it doesn't matter! Because you know what time it is, right?"

The soldier pulled back as the other students shouted for mercy, one Mukuro knew they wouldn't get.

Not with Junko Enoshima as the Mastermind. Never with her. The world of despair was merciless.

_This is it. I wonder what Junko has planned for my execution… Well, it doesn't matter._

Mukuro smiled one last time at Makoto as Monokuma took out a hammer. The Luckster's sobs seemed to return, but for a different reason.

"M-Mukuro!"

_Goodbye, Makoto… My life wouldn't have been the same without you…_

"It's PUNISHMENT TIME!"

The bear pressed a big red button with his hammer, triggering an animation on the screen that showed the innocent students being dragged away by Monokuma. Makoto had officially earned his freedom, and the Ultimate Soldier had never been happier.

She felt a chain around her neck. It was cold, but just thinking of Makoto made that coldness disappear. In the background, the others were being pulled away towards their doom. It would be painful for them, but Mukuro knew it wouldn't be for her. This was the end she had wanted, and she'd finally been lucky enough to be granted her wishes.

Soon, she'd join her arch-enemy in the Afterlife, even if the soldier knew she was most likely headed for hell rather than the heavens. But she'd take it. She would endure it for him, even for eternity.

Mukuro began dreaming of what Makoto's life would be now, restoring hope to her sister's world of despair. She wouldn't be here to witness it, but she knew the outcome would be phenomenal.

Makoto Naegi's hope and Junko Enoshima's despair… The clash couldn't have made for a better spectacle. The Ultimate Soldier thought things were better this way.

The others had since long disappeared, and Makoto was still standing there, looking at her helplessly. Monokuma stood on his throne, grinning in despair. Mukuro wondered why she had not been dragged away yet.

_Maybe Junko has something special in store for me…_ The girl thought as thirty seconds had passed. She could hear her former classmates' cries of agony. _The despair she'll feel… she must be awaiting it…_

A minute passed. Then five. Before long, it had been ten minutes, and Mukuro was still chained, unable to move, but still alive. The soldier began to wonder if everything was functioning normally.

Suddenly, she felt something getting off of her. Mukuro felt freer, and she quickly realized she could move around again. Turning around, she gaped as she realized something: the chain was gone.

"W-What…?" she muttered aloud, wondering where the trick to her execution was. "W-Why…?"

"Oh, shoo, looks like your execution failed, Muku! Well, that means you get a pass! Congratulations!"

"W-What…?" Mukuro repeated, not daring to trust her ears. "W-What was that…?"

"Geez, you deaf or what?!" Monokuma repeated, red in anger. "Your execution failed, and now you get to leave the Academy with the blackened! Now, hurry it up before I change my mind and find you another execution!"

"N-No… NO FUCKING WAY?!" Mukuro shouted at the top of her lungs, subconsciously jumping in joy. "I GET TO LIVE?!" _WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL?! THAT'S GOT TO BE A JOKE!_

Checking her surroundings to make sure she wasn't just hallucinating, Mukuro felt a strange feeling of relief when she realized she wasn't. Hesitantly, she took a step forward. Then another, faster.

A third, then a fourth, still speeding up. Soon enough, the soldier was running, and in a matter of seconds, she was back in the Ultimate Lucky Student's arms, this time being the one to cry all the tears in her eyes.

"M-MAKOTO!" the boy looked as surprised as she was as they shared a close and somewhat awkward embrace, and Mukuro wanted it to last forever. "Y-You're really here, r-right?"

"Y-Yeah… I-I'm here…" Makoto replied, a tad unsure of what to say. "W-What just happened…?"

It was clear he was still grandly disturbed by what had happened to his former friends, but Mukuro could see how repressed his fears were. He was trying to look as hopeful as the Ultimate Soldier had once known him to be, and it made her cry harder.

Suddenly, something hit her.

_N-No… T-That's… That's not possible… I refuse to believe it! D-Did… Did Junko… let me live on purpose…? Could t-this… be real…?_

Not sure of what she was supposed to be feeling, Mukuro chose to let it all out, showing all her joy, happiness, relief, and cheeriness to the boy she loved more than anyone.

"Y-Your luck… rubbed off on me… Makoto…"

* * *

The two friends stood in front of the door to the world. Their ticket to freedom was resting in the boy's hands, and as they shared a knowing smile, Makoto spoke up.

"Ready to see the world, Mukuro?" he asked, and his radiant expression made the soldier's heart melt.

She'd done it! Everything she could have hoped for had happened, and now, Mukuro was looking forward to seeing what the future had in store for her. She knew what was beyond those doors, the truth of what the world really was: filled with despair and blinded by its own mistakes. It probably wouldn't be a pleasant world to live in every day, but Mukuro knew they could face it.

He had hope, and in the case he needed it, she was there to defend him. And whatever it now looked like, there would always be, deep down, the balance between hope and despair. It was the same that had ruled Mukuro's heart in her hopelessly hopeful days as Makoto Naegi's friend.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she replied. Makoto pressed the button, causing the security systems to turn off and the door to open.

She looked forward as a powerful light blinded them, illuminating the former Academy of Hope for the first time in an eternity. When the world could be seen and the darkened skies receded in favor of a bright ray of sunlight, Mukuro realized this was it.

Makoto smiled in awe at the forming rainbow up above before he turned to the soldier.

_Beyond hope and despair… A perfect balance that can't be disturbed… This is my world, the one I built… with its share of regret and mistakes… but I'm okay with it._

"Hey, Mukuro? Can I tell you something?"

"Yeah, sure."

"I…" he blushed a cute color of pink, making Mukuro's heart skip a beat in realization. "Y-You know… We're about to discover a brand new world, and uh… I was wondering if, um… Maybe…"

_N-No way…_

"Well, if you wanted us to explore it _together_ …?" the Luckster finished, blushing even redder as he did so.

"M-Makoto… A-Are you…" hands shaking, voice wavering, eyesight fading, Mukuro stopped, looking baffled into her crush's eyes. "A-Are you asking me…?"

"Y-Yeah… Would you like to be my girlfriend, Mukuro?"

Mukuro closed her eyes, letting the single tear of joy roll on her cheek. The smile she showed the boy was as genuine as it had ever been.

"I-I'd love that, Makoto…" her next words came out without hesitation, the most natural words she could come up with. " _I love you_ , Makoto."

" _I love you too_ , Mukuro."

Freely, Mukuro placed a hand on the boy's back, pulling him closer until they stood mere centimeters apart. Feeling emboldened, the soldier closed her eyes and leaned even closer, pressing her lips on Makoto's with great care. They were sweet and were the real treasure she'd found at the end of the road. All these sacrifices, all these hardships… they led there. And they made it all worth it.

Makoto kissed her back, and after a time, Mukuro felt his tongue press against her lips. She slowly parted them, allowing him inside as her second hand caressed the boy's light-brown hair. In all that mix of powerful emotions, the soldier felt the boy tugging at the bundle of fake blonde hair resting on her head until he delicately grabbed it and tossed it aside. The gesture was simple, but it amplified Mukuro's passion tenfold.

The one Makoto Naegi loved wasn't anyone other than her. He didn't love the Ultimate Detective Kyoko Kirigiri, forgotten hope of a life that had been left behind. He didn't love the Ultimate Fashionista "Junko Enoshima," who had been his voice of reason during his times of unbearable pain.

No, the one Makoto Naegi, the one true Ultimate Hope, loved, was Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier. She came with her flaws, maybe too many to count them, but she had learned how to change. The girl liked to believe he remembered her and how different his influence had made her. Another chance was all she had been asking for, and it had been granted to her. She had made the best of it.

_That's right… in the battle between hope and despair, I choose to be the soldier of *both* hope and despair, guided by what my heart tells me to do… My life might be a contradiction, but I'll live it anyway, for all it's worth._

_That is the path I chose, and it is the path of my feelings… the one of my love._

* * *

When the light disappeared, Mukuro shot up in shock and surprise. Panting, she looked around, realizing she was somewhere familiar and not with Makoto in this, bright lovely world. Next to her, Junko was lying down, and all around her, the soldier noticed that this was her room.

Her weapons, her twin's many changes of clothes, the Monokuma prototypes Junko had worked on… It was all here - and Mukuro felt like they had always been there. The blonde was snoring, and Mukuro realized it was dark. Most likely, it was nighttime, and the Ultimate Soldier failed to realize what this meant at first.

The truth suddenly hurt her hard.

"T-This is… N-No, please no…" a tear rolled down her cheek as the familiarity of the scene began haunting her, surrounding her until she felt suffocated. "I-It can't be… I-I was… I-I was happy!"

Careful not to disturb her dear sister's slumber, the soldier stood up and discreetly slipped out of the room, trying to escape that damned truth. In the hallway, there was no sound and barely enough light to see anything. Mukuro's walking was shaky, but she got where she wanted to go.

She stood in front of a door and thought of knocking for a second. Ultimately, she fought against the urge to, knowing this was pointless. Her eyes drifted off to the doorplate, and Mukuro could only difficultly decipher the name written on it in bold, black letters.

" _Makoto."_

The soldier turned away from the door, deciding standing there wouldn't change a thing. This wasn't meant to be her destiny, and she knew better than to fight against fate.

There were _no_ second chances when your name was Mukuro Ikusaba. Sadness and regrets were her only driving forces, unable to feel the smallest form of relief ever. And soon enough, she would have her part to play in a most nefarious play in which she'd realize that nothing was ever worth it. _Mortals_ weren't meant to carve a path different than the one they'd been set on.

Life wasn't worth it. Despair wasn't worth it. Even hope wasn't worth it in the end.

She walked back to her room, her back turned to a small ray of light. This was the truth of Mukuro's life: never on the right side of light. Always hidden in the shadows, and now, this would lead her to a perilous future. Mukuro was _not_ looking forward to it, getting a sense of dread every time she thought about it.

_I suppose this is what I deserve. The balance between hope and despair was disturbed, and I am the embodiment of why. My name is Mukuro Ikusaba, the fallen Ultimate Soldier who will go down in history as the traitor among Class 78_ _th_ _of Hope's Peak Academy, the incarnation of everything wrong with this world that's been torn between hope and despair for far too long. My place is not among the fighters of hope. Neither it is among the fighters of despair._

_I had the power to seek a better life, and I let it slip away. That is my life, and one I'll never get a chance to do all over again._

As she reentered her room, Mukuro left a tear behind, the symbol of her crushed thoughts of hope and despair.

After all, nothing was ever worth a dream, for the nightmare had already begun.

_**The End.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it. This final chapter wasn't easy to write, both in terms of actually finding the right words, and also because as a Naegiri shipper, there were difficult moments in this chapter. Anyway, this side story was super interesting for me to write, and I really hope you liked reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Writing a story about Mukuro in my timeline seemed evident, and now that it's finally done, I feel it was even more necessary than I thought at first. And having this final chapter take place in one of Mukuro's hopeful dreams seemed like an exciting idea. Dreams are definitely practical when you wanna write something that doesn't fit with canon while remaining canon compliant.
> 
> There'll be more from this timeline really soon! And who knows? Perhaps Mukuro will reappear sooner than you think! Anyway, I hope you liked this final chapter and this side story as a whole. Please leave a review, and until next time, please have a nice day!
> 
> Love, Moiloru.


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